Reasons
by elemental helper
Summary: Bristlepaw has become a monster, something dark and killing, something that can't be saved. His hunger for power, his thirst for revenge pushing him to the extreme. The killing extreme.
1. Chapter 1

**Barnclan**:

Leader:

Swiftrain: white tom with pale grey patches and green eyes

Deputy:

Redheart: orange tom with green eyes

Medicine cat:

Brightcloud: white she cat with green eyes

Warriors:

Icefrost: white she cat with blue eyes

Frostfern: white she cat with blue eyes

Moonstripe: pale grey she cat with bluish green eyes

Shadowfire: grey tom with blue eyes

Eagleheart: dark grey tom with black paws and amber eyes

Frostspirit: dark silver tom with amber eyes

Raggedtail: ash grey tom with blue eyes

Stardapple: golden brown tabby she cat with green eyes

Silverfire: sleek grey she cat with blue eyes

Stoneslash: dark grey tabby tom with green eyes

Sunheart: tortishell and white she cat with amber eyes

Cherrytail: light ginger she cat with a white tipped tail

Minnowfall: mottled grey tom with blue eyes

Apprentices:

Tawnypaw: ginger tom with amberish brown eyes, apprentice to Stardapple

Leopardpaw: golden she cat with black spots and green eyes, apprentice to Silverfire

Snowpaw: white she cat with ginger patches and green eyes, apprentice to Icefrost

Elders:

Fishtail: light grey tom with yellow eyes

Queens:

Silvercloud: silver she cat with green eyes

**Kits: Dovekit, Honeykit, and Bristlekit**

Dewshadow: black she cat with silver and grey splotches with golden brown eyes with blue speckles

Calicospots: calico she cat with amberish brown eyes

**Kits: Spottedkit and Greykit**

**Deathclan**:

Leader:

Aspenrain: ginger tom with green eyes

Deputy:

Hollowmask: dark brown tom with a black face and yellow eyes

Medicine cat:

Ivyshine: misty grey she cat with icy blue eyes

Warriors:

Whisperwind: dark brown she cat with pale blue eyes

Rockfoot: dark grey tom with one grey paw

Sootbird: dark grey tom with deep green eyes

Gemstone: black she cat with golden specks and sapphire blue eyes

Darkfur: black tom with amber eyes

Bearclaw: large brown tabby tom with bearlike claws and blue eyes

Rabbithop: small white she cat with blue eyes

Wildheart: golden tom with amber eyes

Russetclaw: dull ginger tom with spiky fur and amber eyes

Riversplash: mottled grey and white she cat with blue eyes

Tabbytail: white she cat with black stripes on her tail and around her legs

Littlestep: tortishell she cat with black feet

Mudfeather: dark brown tabby she cat with green eyes

Apprentices:

Quailpaw: black tom with blue eyes, apprentice to Rabbithop

Cloudypaw: pale grey tom with blue eyes, apprentice to Sootbird

Ravenpaw: black she cat with gold tipped ears and dark blue eyes, apprentice to Aspenrain

Elders:

Queens:

Flightshadow: light ginger she cat with a white belly with tailtip paws

**Kits: Silentkit, Patchkit, and Roaringkit**

Summershade: dark cream colored she cat with green eyes

**Kit: Sweetkit**

**Wildclan**:

Leader:

Lakerain: dark grey tom with silver specks and white spots with lake blue eyes

Deputy:

Mistywillow: blue grey she cat with green eyes and a graying muzzle

Medicine cat:

Streambreeze: small blue-gray she-cat with a white underbelly, paws, & muzzle & a black stripe going down her back

**Apprentice: Frozenpaw: pure white she cat with light grey paws and silver flecks**

Warriors:

Waterspirit: stormy grey tom with white and silver and watery blue eyes

Rivergaze: dazzling silver she cat with snowy white specks and icy blue eyes

Leopardring: beautiful snowy white she-cat with black ring spots along her body, legs, paws, & tail, black stripes

Blizzardclaw: long haired white tom with silver spots and dark grey paws

Pebblestorm: grey tom with smoky black spots and dark grey flecks

Hailstorm: pale grey tabby tom with snowy white spots and icy blue eyes

Swiftbreeze: white she cat with black patches and green eyes

Bladeclaw: brown tabby tom with darker brown stripes and sharp claws and blue eyes

Lostheart: white she cat with brown and orange patches and dark blue eyes

Shadowfur: sleek black tom with yellow eyes

Violetfire: sleek black she cat with violet eyes

Apprentices:

Ripplepaw: smoky black tom black tom with snowy white paws and pale green eyes, apprentice to Bladeclaw

Icepaw: snow white she cat with silver rings around her body, tail, and legs with icy blue eyes, apprentice to Lostheart

Elders:

Queens:

Dappleshine: sleek golden dappled she cat with brown specks and white spots

Lilypetal: slender pale she cat with silver stripes and a berry pink nose

**Kits: Lightkit, Shimmerkit, and Shinekit**

Raindapple: small blue-gray she-cat with a white underbelly, paws, & muzzle & a black stripe going down her back

**Kits: Wavekit, Lotuskit, and Splashkit**

Soulwind: white she cat with grey splashed on and amber eyes

**Kits: Blackkit and Heartkit**

Dapplefur: dappled she cat with blue eyes

**Kit: Springkit**

**Stockyclan**:

Leader:

Nightrain: Pure black tom with amber eyes

Deputy:

Thornfang: brown tabby tom with green eyes.

Medicine cat:

Quickstep: brown and white she cat with green eyes

Warriors:

Eaglefeather: dark brown tom with blue eyes

Flamecloud: dark ginger tabby she cat with blue eyes

Blacktail: black tom with white 'eyebrows'

Hawkpath: brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Lilystream: silver she cat with black stripes and green eyes

Petalclaw: black she cat with amber eyes

Darkscar: pale black tom with yellow eyes

Scarlettail: ginger tailed silver she cat with blue eyes

Midnightfang: black tom with shiny pelt at night and green eyes

Sweetsoul: white she cat with brown patches and amber eyes

Jadeflower: light brown tabby she cat with golden stripes and amber eyes

Speedfoot: a dark brown tom with black stripes and amber eyes

Silverdrizzle: a silver blue she cat with white paws and black stripes with glowing blue eyes

Apprentices:

Gorgepaw: dark grey tom with amber eyes, apprentice to Flamecloud

Applepaw: white she cat with black stripes, apprentice to Hawkpath

Riverpaw: silver she cat with black specks on her back, apprentice to Eaglefeather

Heatherpaw: brown tabby she cat with amberish stripes and heather eyes, apprentice to Jadeflower

Skypaw: white tom with blue streaks on his fur and bluish greenish eyes, apprentice to Midnightfang

Elders:

Sandfoot: dark ginger tom with white on his muzzle

Queens:

Gingerfire: dark ginger she cat with blue eyes

**Kits: Branchkit, Lilykit, and Bearkit**

Tansyleaf: blue she cat with green eyes

**Kit: Featherkit**

Swallowfeather: calico she cat with brown eyes

**Kits: Brokenkit and Carmelkit**

Featherstep: light grey she cat with blue eyes

**Cats outside the clans**:

Red: golden tom, mated with Flightshadow

Lewis: stocky young chocolate point tom with blue eyes, originally from Stockyclan

Orchid: black she cat with golden splotches and eyes

*****

"Poor thing…" Silvercloud murmured, trailing her tail over the tiny kits fluffy head. The kit had been found at the edge of Barnclan territory by Eagleheart while he was hunting an opossum. The yellow tabby kit had been found starving and cold beside a silver tom kit and a brown she kit, both dead.

"You know who his father and mother was, right?" Swiftrain asked an edge of anger slipped into his voice. Brightcloud, Calicospots, and Silvercloud nodded sadly, very few did not know of Falconblood and Siege, and their scents were all over the kit.

"He`s so tiny!" Greykit laughed from behind his mother, Calicospots.

A giggle came from the other bundle of fur beside him, "Yeah." Spottedkit agreed, "Can we name him Tinykit? Or Smallkit?" She asked bouncily.

Calicospots put her tail over the excited kit, "You, Spottedkit, are not going to name him anything." She purred to her kit, "Dewshadow, can you put the two to bed?" The calico she cat asked the pregnant queen, who in turn herded up the two and led them to the darker part of barn, where the kits and queens slept.

"What should we do?" Silvercloud asked the medicine cat, Brightcloud, who had come to take care of the new kit.

The medicine cat shrugged, "One of you will have to take him." She answered to the group, looking mainly at Silvercloud.

The queen looked down at the fuzzy kit, he was so young that his eyes was not even open yet, so much like her own, Honeykit and Dovekit. "I`ll adopt him, and he will NEVER know who his true parents were." Silvercloud said menacingly, he would be her kit for as far as he knew.

"What will you call him?" Calicospots asked.

Silvercloud looked down at the kit again, he was a yellow tabby with fur that stuck out in every direction. "Bristlekit." She answered at last.


	2. Chapter 2

**Authors note**:  
**Survival test is a test that kits have to take every moon of their kit hood, starting at two moons old. They are sent out on their own for 2-4 days/nights completely unsupervised. After four survival tests they can become apprentices. These survival test have been practiced ever since the original leaders, Death, Wild, Barn, and Stocky, created the Quarry-clans, and has been used ever since. It is a very delicate procedure, that teaches kits to respect the uses of nature and supplies.**

*****

Bristlekit felt the moon light reflect off of his yellow coat, he and his sibling had just turned two moons old and they were on their first survival test. He should stay with Honeykit and dovekit, but he wanted to be on his own while they slept. As he slinked through the Falling-house he was no longer the kit everyone worried about because he was tiny, he was Bristlerain, the leader, the provider. That was what he was doing right now, looking for the mice that came out in the night.

He heard a crack in a fallen piece of wood and he instantly stopped. A mouse scurried out into the open, its brown body plump from the seeds from the trees outside that blew into the holes of the house. Bristlekit crouched down into the hunting stalk that his mother had taught him, this mouse would be enough to feed himself and his sisters for a little. 'Keep your tail straight...' His mother had told him, 'Do not make any noise to startle the prey...' He remembered clearly.

The mouse had its back to him, eating a poppy seed it had picked up, he was the greatest hunter ever! Not even the legendary clans of Stealthclan and Stalkclan could hunt better than him, he was the greatest! The mouse had yet to scent the small kit, mainly because there was no wind to blow his scent over to it, Bristlekit accidentally stepped on a twig, which snapped. He held his breath as the mouse turned around to face him, he had to kill it now.

He lunged onto the mouse, sticking it with his needle like claws, it squirmed and bucked, just then Bristlekit realized how small he really was. This mouse was about the same size as him, no wonder everyone fretted over him. Anger about his size welled up in him and he bit now angrily on its neck. Bristlekit jumped off the mouse as itt began to twist in its` long going death, it startled Bristlekit to notice that he was laughing at it and its helplessness, and he did not know why...

Suddenly a new voice filled the musty air, "Great strength can only be matched by great weakness, things are never as it seems." It said, filling the air with its melodic tune. Bristlekit blinked in surprise, it must have been a prophecy from Ancientclan! But what did it mean, what strength, he knew of none that also paciest great weakness. How could weakness and strength be equal with each other? He shook the confusion from his mind and started to drag his freshly killed prey to where his sisters had denned for the night.

The prophecy was probably not a prophecy at all, just a chorus of night owls and other birds, for why would Ancientclan want to talk to a tiny kit like him?

*****

"I fear for him Bird..." The large she kit told her brother worriedly while looking down at his small living brother. "You saw how he laughed at death, what if he becomes like our dad?" He added.

"Hawk, I promise that Eagle, um... Bristlekit, will not end up like Falconblood, he is stronger..." Bird ensured.

"Yes strength, but weakness is around the corner..." Hawk whispered lowly, looking away from the Looking-pool in Ancientclan`s scared ground. "I just hope that his fate takes a turn." She frowned sadly.

*****

"Brightcloud, look to the west... it is darker over there than here..." Redheart pointed out to the medicine cat.

The white she cat sighed, "Of course I saw it Redheart, Honeykit and Dovekit are over there." She told him back, "Oh yes, and Bristlekit, my it is easy to forget that kit." She added.

"Do you think that it`s a sign from Ancientclan?" He asked.

Brightcloud sighed again, "If so, it would be for Deathclan... that`s their territory." She replied simply to the deputy. _'I hope that`s for them, because if it is for us then... well it probably won`t be good...' _She thought miserably to herself.


	3. Chapter 3

Was that fear? Fear was weak, his kit had NO fear. Was his kit feeling fear? No, he wasn`t feeling fear, it was power, that was what he felt! HIS kit would become the most powerful; HIS kit would rule the quarry. HIS kit would be the ultimate ruler. HIS, he would not even have to train him…

HIS kit had the power already, HE had no fear. If his kit did, he would train him, teach him… Yet his kit was already strong, already wise… He had laughed at death, he had the genes of a TRUE warrior. He himself HAD been a true warrior, but the idiots of the clans had not believed him. They were blind minded, but that did not mater…

All that mattered right now was his kit becoming the best, the only best…

*****

Swiftrain looked over Silvercloud`s kits, the one in particular. He looked nothing like his father, his father was tremendous in size and was red in color. Bristlekit was tiny and yellow, but looks could be deceiving.

"He is only a kit…" A voice said gently behind him. He turned around and saw Icefrost sitting behind him, her gaze on Bristlekit too.

"Yes, so was Falconblood." He spat cruelly. Icefrost gave a slight purr and walked forward to the leader, rubbing her head under his chin.

She looked up to him with deep blue eyes, "Give him a chance, I know Falconblood was your brother, but you must forgive him." Swiftrain gave a slight snort, "As long as the other cats in the clans do not tell him of his heritage he will know nothing of him!" She argued with her mate.

Swiftrain looked at Icefrost, "I will never forgive Falconblood, or Siege, but maybe his kit will prove one of greatness." He replied back earnestly. As he looked to the kit he noticed for the first time how innocent he looked, padding around with a ball of moss with his 'siblings' Honeykit and Dovekit.

Icefrost looked at him and smiled, Silverbreeze will not allow anyone to tell her kit about his father. She thought to herself happily, and he would live in this clan in peace.

*****

"Well if it isn`t the _Barnclan _cats, how do you like living in the None-furs barn?" A mocking voice came from the other side of the border. Raggedtail ran past the tree to the border line, where Scarlettail sat on a low hanging tree limb.

"What are you doing here?" He hissed to the she cat; Stardapple, Minnowfall, and Snowpaw coming to his side.

She gave a slight flick of her scarlet tail and Midnightfang, Jadeflower, Skypaw, and Heatherpaw climbed beside her on the tree branch. "Nothing, why do you ask?" She smiled, jumping from the limb.

"You are very close to the border…" Minnowfall meowed to her angrily.

"No, I`m not close to the border this is close!" She snickered, walking up a near inch of it. Stardapple gave a large growl and dug her claws into the wet soil. The other Stockyclan cats laughed at some unknown humor.

"Step back!" Stardapple hissed to them.

"Who says where I step and when?" She asked spitefully, placing a paw forward to the border.

Raggedtail glowered, "The Warrior Honor says that if any cat crosses the border they can be attacked." He reminded, she only smiled back in reply before jumping over the border.

Stardapple lunged for her, only to be knocked over by a jumping Midnightfang. Raggedtail felt himself be locked in combat with Scarlettail, Minnowfall and Jadeflower, and Snowpaw was forced to take on both Skypaw and Heatherpaw.

Raggedtail tried to bite the small she cat, but she was quick and flipped him over to him back. He grabbed her front paw and bit down hard, he heard a yelp from her as her blood spilled into his mouth, he took this moment of confusion to stand up and jump on her back.

Scarlettail bucked and twisted trying to get the tom off of her back, but Raggedtail gripped her harder and raked his unsheathed claws down her pelt. She gave a hurt yelp and flipped over, smashing him to the ground. She began tearing at his face and muzzle vigorously, all the while Raggedtail clawed at her stomach.

A tremendous screech came from Jadeflower and Raggedtail felt Scarlettail`s weight lift off him. Minnowfall stood over him panting, blood trickling from his face and stomach. "Next time Barnclan!" Scarlettail hissed as she fled.

Snowpaw limped up to the warriors, blood flowing from her mouth, she had lost two teeth and a claw, "I hate them." She spat, causing more blood to spill. "Are you alright Stardapple?" She asked.

The golden brown she cat sat up, her green eyes glazed and unfocused, "I think…" She muttered before falling back down.

"Stardapple!" Minnowfall cried, limping over to her. Raggedtail felt his head grow heavy and his vision clouded as he tried to get up, only to fall in a pool of blood. "Raggedtail!" Minnowfall moaned, trying to decide which cats aid to go to first.

"Minnowfall! What… what do we do now? I don`t think I can carry them, and you can`t either…" Snowpaw meowed in a mixture of pain and fear.

Just then a rustling in the bushes took the two injured cats attention. "Oh no, not now." Snowpaw whispered, backing into Minnowfall`s thick grey fur.

A black she cat with gold spots stepped out, followed by a brown tom. Snowpaw let out a sigh of relief as she realized that it was only Orchid and Lewis, two kitty-pets, but Minnowfall did not let his guard down, "What are you doing here?" He growled at them.

"We were walking the borders when we heard the battle, so we came…" Orchid explained simply. "It seems that your friends aren`t doing so well… want some help?" She asked the clan cats.

Snowpaw raised an eye brow, "Why would you want to help us?" She asked curiously.

Lewis, formerly called Finchkit in Stockyclan, spoke, "Cause its nice…"

"Yeah, really?" Minnowfall asked uncertainly.

Orchid shuffled her paws, "Well, Red… he… he`s in the forest and he`s threatening us and…"

"You thought that if you help us we`ll return you home." Minnowfall finished, getting a shallow nod from the two. "In this case, you can help us." He replied.

The two nodded and started to gingerly pick up the fallen Barnclan warriors, who moaned when moved. "Are they going to be OK?" Lewis asked worriedly, ashamed at his clan for hurting them so badly.

"Hopefully…" Snowpaw whispered sadly.

*****

Seeing Stardapple and Raggedtail injured did not faze Bristlekit, if they died it would be good for the clan, if they died they would be weak. Was what Bristlekit thought, and that thought scarred himself even, it was a cruel thought. But he could not help it, it was all that he could think about.

What did startle him though, was the crimson liquid that now laid in puddles in the ground. While everyone was fussing over the warriors, he was playing with it. He stuck his small paw into the sticky blood. It was like mouse blood and prey blood, but thicker and cooler.

He pulled it back out and smiled, it was red now, what a natural color, red. He thought to himself, but what was even more natural to him though, was the feeling of the blood sinking through his toes and claws. How relaxing, was this normal? He thought over and over to himself, it felt normal though, so had to be…

He walked over to the Cleaning-bin, where water was kept full by rainwater, and tried to warsh his paw off. The water turned red as he scrubbed harder and harder, yet when he pulled his paw up it was still red.

He tried to scrub again, but his paw was stained in blood, but he didn`t mind, blood was so… nice. Feared, a symbol of power, and he had that power on his paw now, power… no! He would not kill, he wasn`t like that! He pushed the thought of power from his mind and scurried back to the Nursery, he was only a kit…

*****

***I scene a dark force in the little one I do.***

***As do I Helper, what path will he chose?***

***Death…***

***Life…***

***Power…***

***Modesty…***

***Lies…***

***modesty…***

***Will he follow the path of his father?***

***Or his uncle?***

***Will his paws forever be stained with the symbol of blood?***

***DA DA DAH!***

***Oh, this could be a bad time but… Bristlekit (when he is older) will need a mate (cough cough) and if you want your cat to become his mate please tell us in some form…***

***What do you mean 'us'?***

***Well Helper… I mean we are working on this together…***

***Yeah, right.***

***Shud-up!***


	4. Chapter 4

*****

Bristlekit woke up that morning feeling cold and stiff, his newly red paw seemed to glow in the dim night light. Honeykit and Dovekit were still asleep beside him, their chest heaving in shallow breaths. With a sigh he tried to go back to bed, but his eyes were seemingly glazed open.

With a hiss he sat up, his night vision slowly coming on. He stretched his short legs and made his way to the wood door, "Where are you going Bristlekit?" Spottedkit yawned to the younger kit, her eyes unfocused.

"Um… I have to go to um… the dirt pile…" Bristlekit lied to the she kit, even in the dark she seemed to light up the den…

Spottedkit nodded to him with a smile before laying her head onto her paws once more. Bristlekit let out a soft sigh and slipped out the door.

He walked down the hay filled hallway, his sharp unsheathed claws clicking along the cement floors. He didn`t know where he was going, anywhere would be fine with him, right now he was just restless. Earlier that day Orchid and Lewis had been escorted home, Bristlekit found it very weak of the two not to be able to walk home by themselves and stand up to this, Red.

While thinking of weakness he found himself wandering out of the safe limits of the barn and into the Half-moon light night. Kits were not suppose to be outside without a queen or warrior, but Bristlekit did not really care, he was the strongest when he was alone, and the strongest didn`t need help from others weaker than him.

As he walked further and further away from the barn, towards Deathclan territory, a odd smell rolled across his scent glands. As he followed the scent he noticed that he had crossed the Deathclan border. The scent markings were stale, Aspenrain often was lazy of his borders since he believed that his clan was the strongest of them all and could defend their borders when crossed.

Deathclan hunted at night, tracking down the biggest of night prey, it was rumored that two warriors took down a whole coyote once. Despite this prior knowledge, Bristlekit continued to hop along, following the non-clan cats scent. When he finally heard voices he paused and crawled under a thorn bush.

He crawled slowly to the other side and found himself looking over a gorge, where two cats sat opposite from each other. One was a kit, the other was the biggest golden tom he had ever seen. "Roaring, if you ever wish to take my place as leader of the rouges and loners, you must fight harder!" The golden tom spat to the kit.

"My name is Roaringkit, and I fight harder than any other kit in Deathclan." He hissed back. Bristlekit could hardly stifle a laugh, he fought better than any other WARRIOR in the whole quarry!

"Yes, you may, but what about the rouges? Do you fight better than any of them?" Red asked the kit in a mocking tone. Lunging at the kit, who side stepped expertly, forcing Red to go on the defensive.

'_So, this is the great Red, being beat up by a kit…'_ Bristlekit thought to himself with a smile. But this thought vanished as soon as Red hooked a gigantic claw under the kits stomach and threw him in the air. Roaringkit laid ghostly still, Red gave a small snort and walked over to the golden kit.

Just as Red leaned over Roaringkit he pounced up and sliced his nose, leaving three scarlet streaks across his face. Red growled in anger and lifted a large paw in what seemed to be a fatal blow, but he contained his temper and nodded, "Good, I have trained you well…" He said approvingly.

"I told you, I could probably be better if it wasn`t for Patchkit and Silentkit, and my mom, Flightshadow." Roaringkit growled, sitting on his haunches. "They are so weak, if I had my way, all weak kits would be killed." He added spitefully.

Bristlekit felt his heart drop; he thought that weaklings should be killed off too, but not as mere kits. Kits could be trained, maybe as warriors or elders, but never as kits, that was cruel. Yet Red only meowed his agreement.

Bristlekit began to feel board as they two identical cats continued to fight, carefully he backed up from the bush and ran back to Barnclan boarders, where he could be safe.

*****

It had started out as a light drizzle, but by the time Bristlekit had reached the tall barn silos, it was pouring down faster and harder, slicing into his pelt and bones. Yet he didn`t want to go back to the nursery, instead he wanted to climb the silo to go to the bird loft, where the messenger birds were kept and trained.

Kits were not allowed to climb to the loft, the stairs were high, and sharp, and the birds were even more dangerous than the stairs, the untamed ones that was. Yet that didn`t matter, he was strong and independent.

The steps were very slick and steeper than they had appeared, yet he clambered upward, the rain pelted down, and for once he felt free up so high. As he reached the top, he stood there, at least 500 deer paces up he stood. The wind rustled his yellow fur, the darkness of night engulfed him as the rain fell around him. The sensation was great as he looked around, but the chattering of birds brought him back to reality.

He crawled into the small hole in the metal, his eyes had to readjust to the darker light, and when they did he was amazed. The birds were divided into sections in order of rank, one section for apprentices, one for warriors, deputies, leaders, and finally elders.

Bristlekit walked along the numerous rows of species, until he stopped at the leaders bird, his mouth dropped open at the sight at his sharp beak and razor like talons. A gorgeous hawk, whose name Bristlekit remembered as Samson.

'_One day I will have a hawk too… no… not a hawk, an eagle!'_ He thought to himself with pride, when he became Bristle_rain_, he would make everything better in all the clans, everything would be better…

*****

*I love Bristlekit…*

*Elemental… you get way to over hyper about these things…*

*OK, you know what Helper, you need to shut up.*

*Oh please…*


	5. Chapter 5

*****

Lakerain lay out along the large white branch, a branch that was named Sunning Branch. It was indeed the best place to sun, the white birch tree had been struck by lightning some hundred generations ago, leaving it stripped and barren. For the tree dwelling cats of Wildclan it was more of a blessing than an omen.

It was here that Lakerain could be relieved of the stress of being a leader, and of course to think. On this morn Lakerain thought if the other clans Wildclan had to best.

First, there was the notorious and mysterious Deathclan, who nobody knew much of, them keeping to themselves as they do. Barnclan, was strong and agile, their ancient leaders were the center of stories in all the clans for their kind and wise personalities. Finally, there was Stockyclan, perhaps the most intriguing of all the quarry clans. They would not allow any half clan cats or outsiders to even place a paw pass their borders, and when it came to fighting, what was lacking in size was made up by techniques that only they knew.

His clan though, was the quickest growing, which was really the meaning of his thinking. As Wildclan grew with new kits, their territory was quickly lacking the food resources they oh so desperately needed. If he could attack one of the clans and win, gaining more land, he could solve that problem. The question was, which clan would be the easiest to defeat?

"Lakerain have you decided who we will fight, the whole clan is ready and Bearclaw is ready to tear something up…?" Lakerain half opened his eyes to find Mistywillow, his deputy looking up at him from the ground.

"Yes, I believe that Barnclan would be the wisest clan… they will not expect a thing." Came the icy reply.

*****

It had been a week since Raggedtail and Stardapple had fallen under the serrated claws of the Stockyclan warriors, and yet their sickly position had yet to improve. Their wounds were now infected and bubbling, not even hay could stop the bleeding.

Brightcloud had been working her tail off trying to stop the spread of the infection from entering the rest of the body. She was wiping up some of the blood off of her den floor when she noticed something… the normally red blood was tinted green.

Carefully she sniffed it, acid… no, not acid, poison. Those bloody, evil, Stockyclan cats had dipped their paws in Copperhead poison; they knew what they were doing! They planned this whole thing out, their souls would not be stained in murder, for they had not killed them on the spot, they had wanted to do it slowly.

Desperately Brightcloud searched through her supplies, no onion grass, the only thing that could soak up the poison. "Brightcloud! Brightcloud! Dewshadow is having her kits!" Calicospots came shouting into the den.

"I`m coming… no, Raggedtail and Stardapple need to have the poison taken out of their systems first…" Brightcloud began.

"She`s having trouble!" Calicospots interrupted making Brightcloud drop what she was doing and begin to hurry to the nursery.

"Brightcloud! Raggedtail isn`t breathing!" Stardapple shouted weakly from the other section of the room. Brightcloud turned around quickly.

"No! Dewshadow is bleeding badly!" Calicospots meowed hurriedly, turning the medicine cat in the other direction.

"Brightcloud help!" Stardapple shouted, Calicospots could hear gagging in the other room.

"Bright…" Calicospots began.

"NO! Can we all be quiet there`s only one of me and I need an apprentice!" Brightcloud shouted to the ceiling. There was a minutes worth of silence before the cry called out, 'wildclan is attacking!'


	6. Chapter 6

*****

Screeches of battle echoed through the whole barn, bouncing its way into the medicine cat den loudly. Brightcloud felt her heart skip, but new determination flowed through her, this is what her mentor had prepared her for, and she knew what to do.

"Calicospots, go get Fishtail and an apprentice, if not a kit, and then go get onion grass, but stay clear of the battle. Fishtail will know what to do about poison, I`ll go take care of Dewshadow!" Brightcloud declared, bounding away from the group with a bundle of birth herbs in her mouth.

Brightcloud`s ears burned with the yowls, she ran faster to the nursery. Climbing up the stairwell to where the queens and kits were, she was surprised to see a Wildclan warrior hissing with the queens. The warrior was a brown tabby tom that she recognized from gatherings as Bladeclaw.

"Get out of here!" Silvercloud was hissing, slashing at his face and legs. Brightcloud dropped the herbs she had been carrying and jumped along in the battle, forcing Bladeclaw to go into a spiteful retreat.

When he had gone Brightcloud asked Silvercloud where Dewshadow was, and Silvercloud led her to where the queen lay coated in blood and panting. Four pairs of small eyes peered out from gaps in the hay bales, the eyes of kits, one pair of eyes were missing, but Brightcloud had no time to worry about that.

"Silvercloud, go to where I left the herbs and give me the spruce marrow, it`s in a oak leaf." Brightcloud ordered to Silvercloud, who hurried over and gave her the herb. Carefully she fed the soft mixture to the bleeding queen.

"Dewshadow, when I tell you, I want you to push, alright?" She asked after the paste had started to work it`s healing power and stopped the blood. "1… 2… 3, push!" She said, and Dewshadow obeyed.

There, in the mist of battle, Dewshadow gave birth to three healthy kits, Goosekit, Maplekit, and Fogkit. Just then something happened dawned on Brightcloud, there were four older kits looking at the younger, but only four, not five. Bristlekit was missing!

*****

Bristlekit had gone into battle, he didn`t have any skills, only instincts and they weren`t that good. So how was it that a kit of his size and of his little fighting knowledge be spilling so much blood in battle. It was his paw that helped him, it burned terribly and seemed to have its no mind.

He couldn`t do anything to stop the slashing it did, or the cutting, he just went along with it, allowing it to take control of his body. His paw was controlling his own body, it wasn`t normal, but Bristlekit allowed it to come.

Just then he felt a tug at his scruff and he was pulled back off of his feet and into the shadow of the barn. "What are you doing?!" Spat angrily at the kit.

Bristlekit looked at him and hissed, his eyes blazing green instead of their normal blue color. The color of his father, "I`m winning, I`m fighting, what are you doing taking me out of victory?" He asked back in hate. Swiftrain blinked in surprise and backed up, Bristlekit`s eyes turned normal again and he shook his head. What had happened?

Swiftrain looked at the kits dazed face and decided that he had just imagined everything he had just heard, "Get back to the nursery, NOW!" He hissed though. Bristlekit nodded and ran away, his paw still blazing with the red blood that had been dipped on.

When he got there he was pleased to see three bundles of new life sleeping happily by their mother`s side. Though he was still confused on why he had been in the battle in the first place, what had led him to do that? He could have been really hurt… or worst…

*****

The battle didn`t last long, Barnclan warriors pushed the Wildclan invaders to the gorge, and pushed them off. It didn`t injure the Wildclan cats, only damaged their pride. Lakerain wasn`t there to watch his clan`s defeat, but the deputy, Mistywillow was there.

Swiftrain watched as they swam out of the water in the gorge, dripping wet and hissing they ran back to their territory. It wouldn`t be the last time they heard from Wildclan, Swiftrain knew that Lakerain would be enraged and he himself would come to fight them, but Barnclan would be ready.

But for now the victory cries of Barnclan ran through the hollow, the battered clan was bleeding and battered, but still standing. With a smile Swiftrain summoned his clan together, and looked over them prideful.

"My friends, today we have won a small battle over territory, but as you know, Wildclan will not be held off for long, and I have a feeling that some of the cats are still in our land. Territory is everything here as you know, and there`s a good chance that Deathclan and Stockyclan will attack soon too. But I have one question to ask you, will you fight them off?" He asked his clan, who gave a hearty cry in response. "Then I want Redheart, Minnowfall, Stoneslash, Sunheart, Tawnypaw, Moonstripe, and Frostspirit to go to the north and scout around the Wildclan territory, then head east." The announced cats nodded and ran off.

"Cherrytail, Silverfire, and Leopardpaw go to the south, there shouldn`t be much trouble at Deathclan, but then go west and see what`s going on there. Everyone else go and help the wounded and clean the camp." Swiftrain ordered to the rest, who went around with their orders.

*****

Falconblood smiled from his bed of thorns, it wasn`t comfortable down where he was, but it was fine for him, it could have been worst and he been sent to the Land Of Nothing, where his mate was now, but he didn`t. Instead he was sent to a place called the dark forest, it was fine, and he could comunicate to his living son and on good days he could even talk to Seige.

His kit was doind well with his training, training that he didn`t even know about. Falconblood had been visiting him in his dreams, but Bristlekit knew nothing of that, that was his power he was blessed with before he died. Or was killed...

But his kit was soon to be the best, he had the symbol of blood that he put on him. The great symbol of blood and lust...

*****


	7. Chapter 7

*****

The time had come, Bristlekit had watched Spottedkit and Greykit turn into Spottedpaw and Greypaw with a zealous heart, though jealousy was hanging there as they were appointed their mentors, Eagleheart and Raggedtail (who survived after the venom was extracted from him). He had seen Snowpaw become Snowstep, but now, now was his turn to become an apprentice, and one step closer to becoming leader one day.

Honeykit and Dovekit towered next to him, after the months he had stayed in the nursery he had grown at tops, half a mouse tail, and even Goosekit was taller than him. But what would that matter, he was becoming an apprentice despite his size.

The three were looking up to Swiftrain impatiently, their freshly cleaned pelts shinning in the warm Summer sun that had lowered the quarries water level and every stream in the area. Swiftrain straightened up and cleared his throat, "Cats of Barnclan, Bristlekit, Honeykit, and Dovekit have honored Ancientclan in everyday of their young lives and have passed five survival tests, making them qualified to become apprentices." He declared to the gathered crowd.

"Honeykit, are you ready to take up your responsibilities as an apprentice?" Swiftrain asked the light yellow she cat, who nodded with bright amber eyes. "Then in front of the whole clan I name you Honeypaw and from now on until you become a warrior you shall be addressed by it, and your mentor will be Frostfern, Frostfern you have yet to have an apprentice so I honor you will Honeypaw."

Swiftrain then stepped down and bit the very tip of her ear off before stepping back with a light bow of his head, "Now Bristlekit, are you ready to take up your responsibilities as an apprentice?" Swiftrain asked the small tom, Bristlekit nodded enthusiastically and looked up to him expectantly. "Then in front of Barnclan I name you Bristlepaw until your time of warrior ship. I myself will mentor you in the way of Ancientclan and Barnclan." Swiftrain yowled, biting a bit of his ear too.

"Then finally you Dovekit." Swiftrain meowed when he was done with Bristlepaw, "Brightcloud has requested you to be her apprentice as a medicine cat, and do you accept her inquiry?" Swiftrain asked the grey she cat who answered with a small yes. "Then Dovekit you shall be called Dovepaw until you become a full medicine cat, and today Brightcloud will take you to the Moon-tree so you may speak with Ancientclan." He told her, not snipping off her ear tip to show that she would not take part in battle.

The clan cheered their new names four times over, each time louder than the next. When the cheers and calls had died down Swiftrain continued with the next part of apprentice-ship, "As you three are now apprentices you may now have a messenger bird of your own," Swiftrain meowed to the fidgeting clan. "Honeypaw, for your thoughtful thinking you will have Ace." As if on cue a raven descended to land beside Honeypaw, its round black eye blinked at her and she smiled back to it.

"Dovepaw, you will have to wait until Brightcloud gives you your bird, but Bristlepaw you are training to be a warrior and ready to take on this care. Your partner will be Gypsy, take good care of him as you would care to a clan mate." Swiftrain said as a tiny hummingbird came to them.

Bristlepaw felt his pelt get hot as snickers came from the clan, he knew why he was given the hummingbird, it was a mockery to his size. But that feeling wore off as soon as Swiftrain took the two birds away to the Bird-loft and Barnclan gathered around to congratulate them.

***

"Does that mean you won`t be sleeping in the nursery?" Maplekit asked sadly.

Bristlepaw stifled a purr and looked at the lean ginger she cat, "Yes, I`m an apprentice now, but you`ll be an apprentice in a couple of moons too, then you can join me!" Bristlepaw smiled, Maplekit looked at him hopefully with glad green-gold eyes.

Just then Bristlepaw was knocked over by a sudden strong force, he turned over onto his back and looked up to the bright face of Fogkit. "I got you Bristlekit-paw! I got you didn`t I Goosekit?" She yelled to her white and brown brother, who nodded in agreement.

"We got you Bristlepaw, we got you!" He laughed, joined in by Fogkit.

Maplekit gave a mature sigh, although she was grinning, "Come on you guys…" She meowed, but Goosekit only jumped onto Bristlepaw too.

Bristlepaw began to wriggle around by the larger kits weight on his back combined with Fogkit`s weight. "Come on Maplekit, its` fun!"

"NO! don`t jump on Bristlepaw!" Bristlepaw gasped, seemingly invisible by the other two.

Bristlepaw didn`t know if she joined in, he was breaking his back under there, only Dewshadow saved him from being smashed under them. "You two get off of Bristlepaw now, it`s time for you all to be groomed." He heard her say, instantly the weight was lifted and he sat up painfully.

"Are you all right?" Dewshadow asked him, he nodded and Dewshadow herded her three kits up and went inside the barn.

Bristlepaw smiled and looked around, Honeypaw had gone out with Frostfern for their first lesson on how to hunt, and Dovepaw was traveling to the Moon-tree to become an actual medicine cat apprentice. Then his mentor was nowhere to be seen, probably with Icefrost if he didn`t know better and he did.

Spottedpaw had just returned from border patrol and was eating at a fish from the Food-pile, Snowstep and Minnowfall were sharing a piece of prey together talking lowly amongst themselves. Other cats were beginning to filter from their jobs to the eating grounds too. Greypaw and Tawnypaw was taking food to the only elder, Fishtail and the queens making Bristlepaw feel very alone.

Just then he felt a prod on his flank and he turned around to see his father and Barnclan deputy Redheart standing beside him, "Bristlepaw, Swiftrain asked me to tell you to remove the ticks from Fishtail." He explained.

Bristlepaw stared at him, why could Honeypaw go out and learn to hunt, and he had to take care of elders. "How can I do that if Brightcloud`s not here to give me the Turkey-ground?" He asked.

Redheart looked at him closely before answering, "I think every cat knows what Turkey-ground looks like, just ask anyone you meet." He replied before walking to the pile and selecting a plump sparrow from the pile.

Bristlepaw glowered under his breath and stalked into the refreshing shade of the barn. The air in the barn was musty after years of non-usage and cob webs grew in abundance in it, a never ending supply of natural bandages. Large metal poles stuck up from the hay covered ground from where the No-furs use to keep their cows penned up in. Dry-rotted wood made up the walls, with crumbling cement blocks that held up the wood, doors that had never been opened were on the walls, their handles rusted shut and cobwebs hung there in all the cracks between the doorways.

Many had tried to open those doors, or at least make a mark in the soft wood, but with no prevail. Some say that behind the doors an ancient cemetery lies, where the bones make up the floor. But for the other idea for all the doors there was no floor at all, just a bottomless black pit that leads to the Land-of-nothing itself, but nobody knew and nobody planned to know anytime soon.

Bristlepaw didn`t care about doors on walls, to him they were just there, made by No-furs, and he thought that if they were of such importance as a cemetery or ever going pit that they would not have left the barn for the use of a clan of cats. Though something of the peeling green paint did intrigue him, but it gave him more of an eerie feeling and he often rushed pass the doors in fear of that feeling.

But today, with the thought of having to put Turkey-ground on an elder the feeling was not there, instead of fear there was only spite and anger.

He passed the doors quickly and rushed to the second wing of barn, passing the steep slanted ladder that lead to the hay loft and nursery as he went. He passed the graying door that lead to a small, winding hallway, which eventually branched off into a larger ground-hay-loft where the apprentices slept and passed their spare time. Connecting to that larger room was a secret passage that only Bristlepaw knew of, he being the only one the right size to fit through it.

The secret way was hidden behind a banged up metal bucket with sharp edges, behind that was a dark black hole he found, he had about two mouse tails of room around the circle, and it lead to one of the tallest silo. From that silo he found another small pigeon hole that lead to one of the old unplowed cornfields.

The thought of the passage way brightened up Bristlepaw`s mood, he would explore more the first chance he got but as he reached the door way to the medicine den his anger came back stronger than before. A window covered with dusty glass let some light filter through into the den, illuminating the varies herbs and plants that Brightcloud, and soon Dovepaw, kept.

"Where is the Turkey-ground?" He muttered to himself, looking for the crimson red flower. He found the shriveled up herb in front of small tan seeds with small black centers, he remembered that they were called Black-center-death and were used when a cat was hurt behind all measure to ease their way to Starclan painlessly. His eyes lingered on the death seeds for a minute, he remembered something, someone, told him about… what was it?

With a shake of his head he picked up the Turkey-ground, which looked just like the gobbler of a wild turkey, which at times the hunting group brought back for special occasions. Picking up the rather sweet smelling plant and began to trot to the elders den where Fishtail was, just waiting with a pelt full of ticks.

'_Why is Honeypaw able to go out and hunt and I have to be stuck here, helping elders…' _He thought to himself, his eyes narrowing in hate. _'How come my mentor never teaches me anything and why has he hardly spoken a word to me when I became his apprentice?' _Bristlepaw thought, once again feeling very alone in the empty barn.

But he wasn`t alone, someone was watching him with slit eyes, reading his thoughts and loving them. Swiftrain was stupid to take Bristlepaw on as an apprentice, he had no time for the tiny tom and couldn`t watch him carefully enough to protect him from the dangers of the Dark-forest. Only time could tell if Swiftrain had, indeed, made a fatal flaw, or a good choice.

***


	8. Chapter 8

Bristlepaw sulked behind the golden-brown tabby Stardapple, who was mentoring both him and Tawnypaw today, no surprise that Swiftrain was too busy. He was always too busy for his apprentice. "Can you walk a little faster Bristlepaw? All the fish will swim away from the sun if we don`t hurry up." Tawnypaw complained, nudging his pelt with his nose.

"I`m hurrying but your legs are longer than mine," Bristlepaw stated, looking up to the bright blue sky nearly hidden by the tree canopies.

Stardapple stopped and turned around to face him, "Bristlepaw, you cannot blame everything on your size, you`ll grow but you`re just a late rain." She said gently. Bristlepaw bit back a sigh, he had been an apprentice for weeks now and everyone was saying that he would grow, but he hadn`t grown yet and his stunted size was annoying him dearly.

"How much further until we get to the pond?" He mumbled, it felt like they had been walking for hours and his paws were growing weary.

"It`s at the very border of Barnclan and Wildclan, but we`ll be there soon." Stardapple explained, pacing forward and looking around at the lush green terrain, blooming with flowers and buds, Final-heat was coming soon, and she wasn`t looking forward to it. Where the four clans lived, it was freezing in Dead-life, but torturously sweltering in Final-heat. "Besides, soon the weather will not be as nice and we won`t be able to go on these trips." Stardapple added.

Bristlepaw glowered under his breath and looked around, the leaves on the trees were the freshest color of green, and they brought a moist scent to the midday air. Birds chirped their normal song, and the other woodland creatures were chattering with their everyday life, everything seemed normal, everything seemed perfectly normal… Suddenly Stardapple halted and Bristlepaw, who was not paying attention, ran into her flank.

"Be quiet!" She meowed and scented the air. Bristlepaw looked around nervously, he couldn`t see anything but he could suddenly smell something that wreaked with the horrid smell of Deathclan. "Hide under there." Stardapple ordered, pointing with her tail to a low hanging bush, which Bristlepaw and Tawnypaw jumped under, closely followed by Stardapple.

They hid just in time because right then a patrol of Deathclan cats stalked through the undergrowth, surprisingly Aspenrain was leading the group of about six. "Aspenrain! I scent Barnclan close by!" A black apprentice hissed, his blue eyes searching around as if a group of vicious warriors would lunge for him at any second.

"Quailpaw, there is a reason you smell Barnclan around here, and that`s because we`re in Barnclan territory!" Tawnypaw heard them say before their voices trailed off into the distance.

Stardapple jumped out of the bush and hissed lowly to the apprentices, "Quick, we can make it to the camp before they do if we hurry!" She said before darting off. Tawnypaw and Bristlepaw followed closely behind, and eventually they could hear the Deathclan cats again, and they ran around them in a different trail.

"Did you hear that Rockfoot?" Quailpaw asked, Bristlepaw didn`t stop to hear the reply.

When the three finally reached the barn they were at a slower walk, and Bristlepaw`s breath consisted of jagged pants. "Stardapple, is something wrong?" Swiftrain asked, jumping up from the ground where he was eating with Icecloud.

"Deathclan… Aspenrain… coming…" She replied tiredly, her legs were shaking from the miles she had ran, and her eyes were blotted with colors, more than she had ever seen at one place at one time. But her warning came too late, just then the six cat Deathclan group paraded into the camp, the cats who had been eating their prey were now on their paws in surprise, but Deathclan made no move to advance on them.

"Aspenrain, what are you doing here?" Swiftrain hissed to the ginger leader.

Aspenrain gave a sly smile, Bristlerain thought that he looked like a fox with some secret, "Hello to you too Swiftrain, and why must you hiss, is it possible that two leaders can come together and speak?" He asked sarcastically, the smile still plastered onto his face.

Swiftrain gave a snort, "Yes, it`s very possible, but not so much possible for you Aspenrain." He retorted, the Deathclan leader only gave an uncaring shrug.

"Your right, I didn`t come here for a social time, I come here to ask you a question… and a punishment." Aspenrain meowed mysteriously, the smile slowly fading from his muzzle. Bristlepaw looked at him in confusion, then to a dark grey warrior, staring past him with deep green eyes, Bristlepaw turned his head and looked to Calicospots, who was holding Sootbird`s gaze.

"What do you mean Aspenrain…?" Swiftrain asked, one of his eyebrows rose in question.

Aspenrain cleared his throat and began, "We have been scenting Barnclan deep within Deathclan territory, and we have reason to believe that one of your females are carrying, or have given birth, to half Deathclan kits, and if that is the case we want one." He explained. Bristlepaw felt the fur on his spine raise, and a growl escaped from his chest, he wasn`t the only one hissing.

"How do you figure that?" Swiftrain glowered, his eyes blazing green fire.

Aspenrain shrugged again, "We have our ways, now do you know the parents to all of your kits?" He asked, looking around to all of the cats.

"The only queen in the nursery is Dewshadow, and her mate is Raggedtail, and her kits are Goosekit, Maplekit, and Fogkit." Swiftrain declared simply, "You can see the resemblance in the family." He added, pointing with his tail to the three kits and their mother and father, who were standing side by side.

"Yes, the resemblance is quit uncanny, but is there any new apprentices by chance?" Aspenrain asked. Eagleheart lunged forward, tired of the consistent questioning of the leader, the black tom, Darkfur, leaped forward and blocked the dark grey tom with his solid build.

Swiftrain stomped his paw on the ground, "Eagleheart, we have nothing to hid, yes Aspenrain we have three new apprentices, Honeypaw, Dovepaw, and Bristlepaw." Swiftrain answered, suddenly he noticed his mistake, Bristlepaw was nothing like his step-siblings.

"May I see them?" Aspenrain inquired, even though his question was more of a demand. Swiftrain nodded and the three stepped forward. Dovepaw, silver grey she cat with blue eyes, Honeykit, honey colored she cat with amber eyes, then finally, Bristlepaw, tiny yellow tabby tom, looking nothing like his care givers. "The mother and father?" Redheart, the orange tom, Silvercloud, the silver she cat.

"That kit, he is nothing like his siblings, tell me Bristlepaw, who is your father and mother?" Aspenrain asked, his eyes staring through him steadily. Bristlepaw opened his mouth to speak, but something jolted through his mind and a memory he had never lived.

Cold rain was slicing through his pelt, and the scruff on the back of his neck was stinging, beside Bristlerain another kit banged against his back. He gave a meek meow and the hold only tightened, "Be strong my kit!" The she cat holding him meowed through his fur.

"We must leave them here, let Barnclan have mercy." A tom`s voice said and Bristlerain felt his scruff let go and he and the other kit dropped to the ground like a stone. Bristlerain blinked and looked at the she cat, her pelt was a soft creamy color, almost the same as his, and her size was small too. The tom that had been behind her dropped a silver she cat by he and the brown tom`s side.

The tom was huge! His pelt was a brilliant red, and his massive and scarred shoulders supported thick legs and muscles, completed with gigantic paws with unsheathed claws. "Will they be alright, will Barnclan accept them?" The she cat asked nervously.

The red tom nodded, "My brother is weak for kits, and he will take them in with no thought on his mind, please Siege, I know what I am doing." He meowed confidently, the wind fluffed his thin fur up and lightning struck behind him.

Siege nodded, "I know that Falconblood… but it`s so cold, what if they don`t make it?" She asked as if already knowing the answer.

Falconblood paused for a second before continuing lowly, "I think that Eagle will not make it, but his brother and sister are strong, they will survive. Now we must hurry before Barnclan can find us." Siege nodded and gave her kits a final lick goodbye. Then with that the two ran off out of Bristlepaw`s vision…

Bristlepaw snapped back to reality suddenly, his heart was skipping out of his chest and the blood had run cold in him. "…Um… Redheart and Silvercloud of course…" He stuttered when he realized that Aspenrain was still awaiting his answer.

A dark brown tabby she cat named Mudfeather gave a snort, "Why did you pause, forget your parents names, or are you hiding something?" She spat to him. Bristlepaw shook his head doubly and curled his fluffy tail tight around his small paws.

"Mudfeather, he is not part of Deathclan… no one in our clan can produce a kit that tiny." Aspenrain mocked, the Deathclan cats, and even some of Barnclan laughed at this, "Swiftrain, I will not bring this up at the gathering, but we will be monitoring Barnclan closely." The leader said before departing from the Barnclan cats, setting out at a swift jog.

"Moonstripe, Sunheart, Cherrytail, and Snowstep, go and make sure that they get out of Barnclan territory," Swiftrain hissed, the four warriors nodded and bounded after the Deathclan patrol. Swiftrain looked at Bristlepaw carefully, the apprentice had paused, something had happened in those few seconds that had startled him, but what?


	9. Chapter 9

"The warriors that I want to attend the gathering are as followed, Snowstep, Frostspirit, Eagleheart, Raggedtail, Stardapple, Frostfern, Calicospots, and Cherrytail." Swiftrain declared to the gathered cats, "Then the apprentices Greypaw, Spottedpaw, Honeypaw, Dovepaw, and Bristlepaw." He finished. Bristlepaw was happy that he could finally attend his first gathering, it seemed years since the last one, which he had been too young to go to, "We will be leaving at twilight, you are dismissed." He shouted, jumping off of his perch, which was the white painted fence that had once kept cows and horses behind its wood boards.

Bristlepaw walked away from the crowd, he had become quiet ever since he had the odd vision of Falconblood and Siege, whatever he saw surely could not be true, he had been born to Silvercloud and Redheart, not these two rouges. But night after night he continued to have the same dream of the two cats dropping him and the other two kits on the forest and running off, then it always ended, it always ended with the two running away.

"Hey Bristlepaw! Isn`t this exciting, this will be the first time I can see all the other clans!" Dovepaw called to him, her face bright and cheerful, be her mood deepened when she saw his cold eyes glare at her. "What`s the matter?" She asked him. Bristlepaw blinked, he hadn`t meant to be so rude, he was just a little dazed.

"Nothing, I`m just a little tired." He explained, which was mostly true.

Dovepaw nodded her grey head slowly, looking him over, "You have seemed a little… strained lately, how about you come over to the medicine den some time for poppy seeds to help you sleep?" She asked.

Bristlepaw let out a chuckle, "You`re just lonely in the medicine den with only Brightcloud to talk to and you want some company." He laughed. Dovepaw shuffled her paws before lifting her head to give a friendly retort, but was cut off by Brightcloud calling for her. She said a hasty goodbye before running off to her mentor.

Bristlepaw walked to the apprentice den, surely Swiftrain wouldn`t mentor him today, he was probably much to busy for him, but he didn`t mine, Bristlepaw wanted to explore his tunnel again. He had found that behind layers of cobwebs and dust there were separate passages that branched out all around the barn. one he found lead to a hole in the leaders den, another in a nursery, followed by hole that just lead to a high drop from the barn roof.

Bristlepaw tried desperately to stifle a sneeze, his fluffy fur brushed against the dusty walls, which unsettled it and caused it to float around the enclosed tunnel area. His lungs tried with all their might to bring in as much fresh air as they could in the old tunnel. Then his eyes were straining against the near pitch-black secret, occasionally he would trip upon some hidden obstacle and every time that happened he grew more weary.

Then, what the darkness began to grow too much for Bristlepaw and he was ready to turn around, a dim stream of light broke through the darkness, another hole that he had never seen. As he paced toward the hole he was surprised to see that the cobwebs that usually hung from the unhampered with entrances, making him wonder if it was possible that someone else walked these passages.

Carelessly he put his paw through the way, and instantly regretted it as he found himself falling through the air. He landed on hard dirt packed ground on his back and grunted a little before regaining his posture.

He looked around at the room he had never seen before, the ceiling was completely surrounded by windows, perfectly clear and transparent, that looked out only to wood planks, yet it let light in from some unseen source. The walls were clean and made from red wood, and on the wood odd symbols and markings were cut onto them.

Bristlepaw walked over to them and noticed they were made from cat claws, he realized that many of them could be made out as things he saw everyday of his life. A large square with a triangle on top, the barn, lines were drawn to make fences and he could vaguely make out the figures of cats.

"It`s a story!" He exclaimed with sudden realization, the room reeled around him as he looked around, "Yes, a story!" He exclaimed again, running over to where the drawings started. "But what about…?" He whispered.

There was a clan of stick cats gathering around the barn in one picture, followed by a pack of dogs attacking the cats. But in the next the dogs were on the ground and some were fleeing as the clan moved into the barn. The first inhabitants of Barnclan…

Just as Bristlepaw was about to read more Swiftrain`s voice echoed through the room, his voice rolling across the walls calling his name. Suddenly feeling a dark presence he darted back into, and through, the tunnel. While running he tripped over an old rusted nail and it sliced through his leg, but he quickly regained his footing and continued to run in the blackness until he was in the apprentice den.

"Bristlepaw?" Swiftrain asked again, poking his head into the apprentice den. "There you are Bristlepaw, I was hoping that we could have practiced but it`s too late now… what happened to your leg?" He exclaimed. Bristlepaw looked down at his leg, it was bubbling with a little bit of crimson blood.

Bristlepaw shrugged his shoulders, "I don`t know." He lied, "I`m sorry I wasn`t there I, I was a little tired."

Swiftrain nodded and stalked out of the den again, Bristlepaw stalked off after him.

Bristlepaw looked around at the cats from the different cats that had come to the gathering, the sky was bright with the full moon and the other cats were chatting with each other. At the very edge of the hollow, concealed by the shadows of the trees and old growth, were the rouges, loners, and house cats. They often attended the gathering to hear the latest gossip in the clans, and to find out if they had any threats to their own small territories.

He could only recognize four of the eight. There was the massive golden Red, the house cats Orchid and Lewis, finally a black she cat with yellow eyes. She was young and he remembered her from when he was a kit in the nursery as Harley, a house cat that hardly stirred up trouble.

"Hi!" A voice called to Bristlepaw, knocking him out of his thoughts. He looked over and saw a pale grey tom walking towards him, the new cat carried the stench of Deathclan and Bristlepaw felt weary of him, "I`m Cloudypaw." He smiled.

"Bristlepaw." Bristlepaw muttered not looking the tom in his blue eyes.

There was a small silence before Cloudypaw continued, "So Bristlepaw, is this your first gathering?" He asked. Bristlepaw nodded shallowly. "Alright then, over there is the Wildclan leader Lakerain, he and the Stockyclan leader, Nightrain, have been at war with each other ever since they first came into leadership." He explained, pointing with a paw to Nightrain, a pure black tom with amber eyes, and Lakerain, a dark silver tom with silver specks and white spots.

"Why have they been at war?" Bristlepaw asked. He knew that Stockyclan was very violent to the other clans and their claws left scars on every cat, even the medicine cats.

Cloudypaw shrugged, "Nobody really knows, I don`t even think that Lakerain and Nightrain do what they do." He answered with a laugh, "Just like kits…" He sighed.

Bristlepaw nodded and looked around, he noticed that Wildclan was avoiding Stockyclan. "How are things in Deathclan?" He asked.

"Fine, but Aspenrain has been on edge a lot, you know why… but I find it stupid that Barnclan and Deathclan have to fight over kits, we have enough. Flightshadow has Silentkit, Patchkit, and Roaringkit, then Summershade has Sweetkit." He pouted, wrapping his thick white, grey tail around his paws.

"Yeah…"

Hey look, the meetings starting!" He exclaimed suddenly.

Bristlepaw looked up to where the leaders were stalking to sit beside each other on a large tree branch. Below them Redheart sat beside the Wildclan deputy Mistywillow, a blue grey she cat with green eyes, then the Deathclan deputy, Hollowmask, a dark brown tom with a black face and yellow eyes. Then, further off, a short tabby tom with amber eyes, the deputy of Stockyclan.

Stepping up beside the leaders were the medicine cats and apprentices, Brightcloud and Dovepaw sat beside them. Streambreeze, the small grey she cat with white stomach, paws, and muzzle, and her apprentice Frozenpaw, a white she cat with grey paws and silver flecks from Wildclan. For Deathclan, Ivyshine, followed by Quickstep from Stockyclan.

The short Nightrain was the first to speak, "I am happy to say that Gingerfire has given birth to three healthy kits, Lilykit, Branchkit, and Bearkit." He exclaimed.

Aspenrain gave a huff, "No surprise, when was the last time we ever saw Gingerfire outside of the nursery? Moons, years, more?" He asked calmly.

Nightrain ignored the retort and continued to give his report, "Prey has never been caught faster and we have expended our borders to the west." He added, growls and hisses came from Wildclan, who had, had their borders decreased by the raids.

"The only reason you won was because you hid in badger and fox holes before leaping out at us!" A sleek black she cat with violet eyes called out, her eyes seemed almost to blaze fire which made Bristlepaw believe that this was Violetfire.

Rivergaze, a silver she cat with white specks shouted next from the crowd, "If Stockyclan was to fight fairly without all the tricks!" She added to what her clan mate had said.

"Maybe if Wildclan had fought harder!" A pale black Stockyclan tom named Darkscar yowled back. A fight began to break out among the two clans, their backs arched and their fur bristled. A Wildclan apprentice named Icepaw and the Stockyclan apprentice (and one of Nightrain`s daughters) Applepaw rolled on the ground locked in combat.

"Stop this immediately!" Aspenrain shouted, slamming his paw down on the ground. An eerie burst of thunder echoed through the clearing, even though the night was perfectly clear. The fighting broke up and the rest of the meeting continued in silence from the clans under the great tree.

Barnclan announced they had three new apprentices and Deathclan and Wildclan had the same reports, when it was all over Cloudypaw said his goodbyes and ran to his leaving clan. Bristlepaw looked up to the star filled sky, Ancientclan had spoken in thunder, and had shown that they see all. Or had it just been a natural phonon that occurred every so often?

**Elemental: hope you all enjoyed that chapter  
Helper: I see that Bristlepaw is having its doubts…  
Elemental: Yeah… anyway, we will be hearing from the other clans aside from Barnclan very often, that way we will be able to have everyone`s cats mentioned at least 3 times.  
Helper: and hopefully at least one big appearance.  
Elemental: So stay tuned, for your cats appearance may be next! ;) **


	10. Chapter 10

**Elemental: Alright everyone, we`re going to try something new today…  
Helper (who is still very sick): We`re going to tell this chapter in Wildclan`s point of view.  
Elemental: And we have a little twist on the story!  
Helper: Yes, somewhere in the story we will tell you to go onto and look up a song, then pull up another tab and play the song as you read.  
Elemental: You don`t have to look it up but it will make the story more exciting, and please note that all the songs are NOT, repeat are NOT explicit, let me say that again are NNOOTT explicit.  
Helper: Yes so keep your eyes open for the song we want you to listen to, OK?  
Elemental: Alright here we go, with Wildclan`s point of view. **

Ripplepaw walked with the rest of the patrol they were heading to the border that separated Stockyclan from Wildclan, not that Stockyclan cared about the laws of the borders. Lakerain was tripling the patrols that went to this border and night watches were also becoming more common.

"Do you really think that Stockyclan are going to try and take more of our land?" His sister whispered from beside him. Ripplepaw looked into her icy blue eyes and nodded shallowly.

"They`re greedy, I wouldn`t put it pass them to try." He answered back. There was an eerie silence as they continued to walk down the forest path, which was strewn with decaying leaves and brier. To the left there was the slate quarry, it was a straight drop from the top to the near freezing water bellow, a perfect death pit that had been on their territory for as long as anyone could imagine.

"Stockyclan`s smart aren`t they?" Icepaw sighed. Ripplepaw gave her a curious look before she continued, "I mean, they`re all so tiny, but when they fight they`re amazing!" She explained more clearly.

Ripplepaw gave a snort, "Yeah, they`re good fighters but they cheat!" He exclaimed. It wasn`t technically cheating, but their tactics and way of war were insane and unpredictable, and they changed ideas every time.

The deputy, Mistywillow, whom was leading the patrol stopped suddenly and her eyes narrowed into a cold glare. "What is it Mistywillow?" The grey, white, and silver tom Waterspirit asked. The graying blue she cat pointed her tail to between a few spruce trees.

**Elemental: Sorry to stop at such a time but here`s where we want you to put on our song.  
Helper: The song is Frontline by Pillar, or you can just go to this link- .com/watch?v=BUc0HMy2ffk**  
**Elemental: Already, we`re ready to continue now, let`s go!**

*** 

Waterspirit looked and a hiss escaped from his chest, there was a patrol of Stockyclan cats sitting there, it was a small patrol, but it was still on their territory. Mistywillow flicked her tail and proceeded to stalk forward, a black tom looked at them with green eyes, his name was Midnightfang and he remembered meeting him at a gathering.

"You`re on Wildclan territory Nightrain!" Mistywillow hissed to the black leader. Nightrain gave a smile and rubbed against a tree, making Bladeclaw`s fur stand up.

"Really, because in a few minutes it will be ours." He smiled. Bladeclaw looked at the tiny patrol; there were only four of them who were Nightrain, Midnightfang, Sweetsoul, and Gorgepaw, that was until Nightrain said his next word, "Fallout."

Just then all Land-of-nothing broke loose, Stockyclan cats flew out from the trees above them, landing on the unexpecting patrol. Lostheart found herself tangled up with a black she cat with amber eyes called Petalclaw, she desperately fight but the smaller cat was light on her feet and quickly dodged all her blows.

Blizzardclaw was pushed back closer to the edge of the quarry by both Nightrain and Scarlettail, his white and silver coat turning a darker crimson color with the constant hits and bites. "So you are Lakerain`s son, I expected more from you." Nightrain laughed coldly, not even affected by the fight around him, "Pitiful." Was the last word he said to him in the battle.

Scarlettail was suddenly knocked over by his mother Rivergaze, but Nightrain didn`t care as he continued his mad push to the quarry. Through the blood in Blizzardclaw`s eyes he could see that all the other Stockyclan warriors were doing the same, pushing their victims slowly to their doom.

That horrid picture was the last thing he saw, because just then the slate under his paws splintered and gave out, and he fell down the quarry. The slate stabbed through his pelt and instead of hitting the water bellow, he hit the cold rocky ground.

Wildclan saw their friend and clan mate fall and everything seemed to go in slow motion, suddenly the fight meant nothing, and suddenly everyone wanted to give up.

Wildclan was pushed back, the near defeated clan was hurt and sluggish and just as a few more blows would have surly sent them to face the fate that Blizzardclaw had been forced to Nightrain told his clan to stop. He turned his amber gaze to Wildclan and asked, "Do you have any last words?" He hissed emotionlessly.

Mistywillow nodded and looked to her clan, "If we give up now everything will be a lost, Blizzardclaw`s sacrifice would mean nothing and all the cats that had died before us. Think of the queens, of your mates, brothers and sisters, your mother and father. What about the kit sin the nursery, if we give up what will happen to them? Our future warriors, our future." She yowled.

Yowls and cries of approval came from Wildclan, and Icepaw slashed the muzzle open of a warrior named Speedfoot, who ran away with a snout bubbling blood. Ripplepaw used an ancient Wildclan technique and slipped under a black tom named Darkscar before ripping his exposed stomach.

Lostheart leapt over top a warrior named Silverdrizzle, making great care to dig her claws into her back, Silverdrizzle turned around but was knocked back into the quarry by her rival, where she hit the water and immediately began to swim to shore. Other Stockyclan warriors were also beginning to be pushed back into the slate quarry, somehow they all managed to hit the water and swim away.

Finally it was just Mistywillow and Nightrain, the black tom was pushed back so close the quarry that he had to arch his back to stay upright. "This is for Blizzardclaw!" She hissed before head-butting the smaller cat in the chest, making him fly back into the water, his paws were flailing as he hit the water and his screech could be heard. Mistywillow made a mental note that head-butting was a lose-lose situation, as her head was now hurting.

There was an eerie silence before Lostheart meowed, "Did we win…?" There was another pause.

Icepaw answered, "Yeah, I think we did!" There was a tremendous cheer between the ten cats, somehow, they had managed to win against Stockyclan. But there joy was shattered as Rivergaze began to shout for assistance, everyone raced over to the edge of the quarry and was surprised to see Rivergaze looking up at them from beside where her son lay.

"He`s still alive!" She shouted up to them.

**Elemental: We`re bringing the good songs back  
Helper: All the other songs don`t know how to sing  
Elemental: I`m lying because I love other songs  
Helper: So listen up cause we ain`t done (take it away sister)**

**Elemental: Viewers  
If your cat has never been mentioned  
Just tell us it`s our pleaser  
to mention them for you  
so come on and please review  
now time for some random raping…**

**Helper: Review you people and tell us,  
what you think,  
and what you see,  
cause if you do we`ll be happy,  
and now I have to go,  
because I`m having mashed potatoes for dinner,  
and dang I`m starved!**

**Elemental/Helper: Review!  
**


	11. Chapter 11

**Elemental: OK people, I`m sorry for updating so slowly but I dislocated my arm joint while pitching in softball (our team won) and Helper, who has just gotten over the flu and strep-throat is sick…again… But this time with a minor case of Whoppers-cough, which sucks.  
So this chapter may not be as good as some of the things Helper writes but please bear with me!**

***

Calicospots paused outside of Swiftrain`s den, she wasn`t sure if she should tell him about her secret, but inside she knew that she had to for the sake of the clan. "Swiftrain, are you in there?" She called out shakily.

There was a rustling from inside the leaders den before Swiftrain`s voice shouted from inside, "Yes Calicospots, I`m in here you may come in." He answered. Calicospots gathered up her courage and walked through the large hole in the door that led to his den. "What is it?" Swiftrain asked when he saw the worried look on her face.

"I… I have to tell you something about Greypaw and Spottedpaw." She declared after an awkward pause.

Bristlepaw sat quietly in his secret room, his blood paw tucked under him gently. It had been about half a moon since he found the ancient chicken scratch in the room and he had gone down to the room everyday to try to piece together the puzzle pieces of the writing, but with little prevail. Some of the scratches were worn and their small crevices full of tiny dust particles that he could not get out, no matter how hard he tried to clean them.

Often disturbing his thoughts was Gypsy, who Bristlepaw often brought down for company, not that Gypsy could ever answer the questions he spoke. Looking harder he noticed something curious.

"Look at this Gypsy, these cats have messenger birds like you, but it looks like each clan has their own dog!" He exclaimed, pointing with his tail to the smaller and larger scratches, though the details in the drawings weren`t very vivid, he could still tell a dog when he saw one. The only reply he got from Gypsy was the fluttering of his wings flapping over hundred times per second. "Do you think that it`s possible that we could train a dog to help our clan?" He asked out-loud.

He wasn`t expecting an answer, and he didn`t get one, after all, Gypsy was only a bird.

Bristlepaw stood up and stretched his back, when he opened up his eyes he saw something that he didn`t notice before. It was a paw print embedded into the cement, it wasn`t very large, about the size of Bristlepaw`s paw. _'Maybe this is a clue of who drew these things on the wall.'_ He thought to himself.

Not meaning any harm he placed his red paw onto it. Somehow the air picked up in the enclosed room and a deafening howl bounced along the walls, Bristlepaw yelped and pulled his paw back, which at this point was burning with heat. The wind picked up faster and started to pick up the dust and sand, Gypsy flew to a corner and cowered there as Bristlepaw was engulfed in the dust.

Bristlepaw blinked to clear the dust grains out of his eyes, he looked around and gasped. He was inside of the great whorl wind, and pictures and memories were moving in it.

There was a young reddish furred cat from Bristlepaw`s dreams, Falconblood, he was sitting next to a older white tom with grey patches and green eyes, a younger Swiftrain. Bristlepaw stalked closer to it and the scene took the place of the dust, taking up the whole room and Bristlepaw could hear the voices of the two.

"_I am worried about you Falconblood, you… you`ve been different lately." Swiftrain said. The larger tom stiffened a bit before shaking his head._

"_Why would you worry Swiftleap, you have everything you ever wanted, Icefrost who will soon bare you kits, and your deputy." Falconblood snarled. He then began to stare out to the field before the two. _

_Swiftrain, or Swiftleap, looked at him harder, "You are my brother, I have every right to worry about you." He stated coldly. _Bristlepaw blinked in surprise, he had never known that Swiftrain had a brother.

"_When has family ever been kind to me?" Falconblood chuckled oddly. Swiftleap pulled his ears back but said nothing. _

Bristlepaw had never been so confused before, and his confusion grew when another scene happened.

_There was Swiftrain, sitting on the metal fence where the leaders sat to call meetings. Below him was Falconblood, surrounded by the rest of Barnclan, "Falconblood, do you agree to the charges placed upon you, for the murdering of Branchrain and mating with a rouge?" Swiftrain called to his brother with a glare full of hate. But inside that hate there was a little hint of hope, hope that his brother was innocent of all charges. There was a hint of brotherly love._

_But Falconblood showed no remorse, "I have no regrets." He simply stated. _

_All the love sunk out of Swiftrain`s eyes and he snarled coldly, "What should stop me from killing you here on the spot?" Swiftrain hissed._

_Falconblood shrugged, "Older brother, you wouldn`t hurt your only living family." He meowed calmly. _

_The anger sparked in Swiftrain`s eyes and he lifted his lips, showing his pure white fangs, "You are no longer my brother Falconblood, you are like a useless rouge, the next time I see you on Barnclan territory, I will personally rip out your throat." He hissed. The fur on Falconblood`s back raised and he began to stalk away from the barn. _

_He suddenly turned and looked Swiftrain in the eyes, "I swear, I swear on my life and my sons and daughters lives, you will die under the claws and teeth of one of my descendants." He snarled, his eyes glowed in spite before darting out of sight. _

_Swiftrain stared at where his brother ran out before turning to his clan, "Fishtail, Redheart, and Eaglepaw, go make sure that he leaves, and kill him if he tries anything." He demanded. _

Bristlepaw jumped away from the picture, and the horrible scene dispersed. What had just happened? 


	12. Chapter 12

Sootbird woke up late that next morning. All of his clan mates, with the exception Tabbytail (who had been on border patrol long into the night), were already outside. With a yawn he sat up from his dried grass bedding and arched his back, cranking all the clinks in his still sleepy body.

Tabbytail blinked awake suddenly, the white black striped she cat looked at him in confusion, "Did I sleep in?" She asked, slumping up, her eyelids drooping low.

Sootbird shook his head, "Go back to sleep Tabbytail, you were up late last night." Tabbytail didn`t argue, instead she slumped back down and put her tail over her head.

With a sigh he headed outside of the small shed where the warriors slept and into the marshy Deathclan territory. To the left was the apprentice den where his own apprentice Cloudypaw was batting at a leaf that was spiraling from the old oak tree that stood in front of the old abandoned house. It was leaning halfway over due to the soggy ground and the puddles that grew bigger seemingly overnight. A little further off was a rock cliff with two small caves, the smallest was where Aspenrain slept and the larger served as the medicine cats den.

He turned right to the nursery where his mate Summershade and his kit Sweetkit were basking in the sun. Summershade stood up and walked over to Sootbird, rubbing her head under his muzzle. Sweetkit popped up from where she lay and jumped on her father`s tail in good play. "Hello Sweetkit." He purred to his light grey kit.

Sweetkit looked up at him and swatted her little paw, "Hello!" She squeaked.

Just then Patchkit bounced up, "Come on Sweetkit! I`m Patchrain leader of Deathclan, and you`re my deputy Sweetclaw!" The little black and white she kit laughed. "Roaringrain and Silentheart are trying to take our prey!" She laughed. Sweetkit gave one little glance at her father before bouncing off after Patchkit.

There was no surprise that Roaringkit would want to play a fighting kit, he seemed to have been born with the urge to fight and kill. Sometimes he mutter to himself, what he was saying nobody was sure, but the evil glint in his eyes gave away the kits hidden ambitions, but oddly enough only Sootbird seemed able to tell the danger of him. Maybe the other cats in the clan also saw it but tried not to think about the thought of him growing into a bad cat.

Silentkit was the one he was surprised was going to play fight. Silentkit was the quiet one, who even if you were right by you couldn`t hear. He would often sit on the sidelines while his siblings played. But when he did fight he could play hard.

"Isn`t it horrible how one of our trusted warriors would mate with a Barnclan she cat, of all clans Barnclan!" Summershade spat out. Sootbird began to feel nervous, what would happen if Summershade found out that he was the one who had started the whole mess by fathering Greypaw and Spottedpaw? He had a feeling that Swiftrain knew that the two were the half Deathclan kits, and he suspected that Aspenrain knew he was the one who had fathered.

But Aspenrain was different that previous Deathclan leaders, before Aspenrain there had been only spite and rage in Deathclan, wars were constant with the other clans, and themselves. That was one of the many reasons that Deathclan had received their name, the name of death, Deathclan was originally called Sunclan after the first leader, Sun. But after seeing the harsh behavior of the clan the ancient Deathclan cats changed their names to Deathclan, a more suiting name. But with Aspenrain`s rule all that changed. The ginger tom was more sarcastic and had lead Deathclan into a time of peace.

Sootbird snapped back to reality when he realized that Summershade was still waiting for a response. "Oh… yes it is terrible! Now, I have to go and train Cloudypaw…" He muttered. Summershade purred and rubbed his head one more time before walking over to the other nursery queen Flightshadow.

Turning around Sootbird walked back to where Cloudypaw was batting at a shining black beetle, "Cloudypaw, are you going to play with that bug or come hunting with me?" He meowed to his apprentice.

The pale grey tom nodded his head and bounded over to where his mentor was standing. "Where are we going to go?" He asked, his blue eyes sparkling with anticipation.

"To the Broken-shed, by Barnclan." Sootbird stated.

Cloudypaw carefully picked up one paw and placed it down softly, making sure that his tail was perfectly straight he crouched forward. His prey was a mouse, nearly completely camouflaged in the decaying leaves and brambles. It was chewing contently on a seed and didn`t notice the hunter, until it was too late. Cloudypaw quickly snapped the mouse`s neck and let the prey drop to the ground to kick out its` last nerves.

Just then the small yellow tabby tom he had meant in at the gathering came out of the bushes; his fur was bristling making him look almost as big as Cloudypaw. Bristlepaw, that was his name, Bristlepaw. "What are you doing on Barnclan territory?" Bristlepaw spat, his eyes carrying a cold glint in them.

"Barnclan territory?" Cloudypaw asked before looking around. He realized that Bristlepaw was right, while trying to catch the mouse he had crossed the border, whose scent markers were dull. "I`m sorry, I didn`t realize…" He muttered dipping his head.

Bristlepaw let the fur on his flank drop, but his fur stick out in all directions. "You`re Cloudypaw right?" He asked suddenly.

Cloudypaw gave a awkward nod, right before a dark grey tom with black paws jumped to stand beside Bristlepaw, "Deathclan!" The warrior named Eagleheart hissed. Then Sootbird was there beside Cloudypaw and the two older warriors glared at each other…


	13. Chapter 13

Bristlepaw looked around desperately, Eagleheart was challenging Sootbird and Cloudypaw was staring at him, as if Bristlepaw could do anything to stop the two older warriors. If he didn`t fight he would be called a traitor, if he did fight then he could risk losing an ally in Deathclan if he or Cloudypaw were to become leaders of their clans.

"What are you doing on Barnclan territory?" Eagleheart hissed to the intruders.

Cloudypaw looked at him with widening eyes, "It was an accident, I couldn`t smell the boundary and, and…" He stuttered. Eagleheart seemed to relax at this, though his eyes still blazed with warning. "You can have the mouse, it`s not worth a fight." He added, pushing the meat to them with his paw.

Eagleheart nodded at this peace treaty and looked Sootbird in the eyes, "We are willing to fight if you aren`t happy with your apprentices offer." He spat to the Deathclan warrior.

"Unlike the stories your mother may have told you Deathclan is not obliged to start fights that we know we can win." Sootbird replied calmly. Eagleheart tensed but nodded and picked up the dead mouse, which hung limply in his mouth, but he continued to watch the Deathclan cats until they disappeared out of view and their paws crunching the underbrush had silenced in the distance.

"Never trust Deathclan Bristlepaw, they think that Aspenrain is their savior but as soon as his clan trusts him they will go back to their violent ways." He slurred from behind the fresh-kill. Bristlepaw didn`t reply and most defiantly didn`t want to tell Bristlepaw that he was friends with Cloudypaw.

**(Hours later) **

Bristlepaw had the same dream that he had every night, of the three kits, Siege, and Falconblood, he was certain that was all he would ever dream of, that small snippet in the ever expanding mystery of time. But right after the dream ended and he thought he was going to wake up, he didn`t. Instead he found himself walking down a steep rocky brown path, engulfed in massive trees` shadows.

"Hello?" He called out wearily. There was a violent shifting of leaves behind him which made Bristlepaw jump to look behind him. "Who, whose there?" He called out again shakily.

The bush parted slightly and cold amber eyes stared out, "Are you Bristlepaw?" A gruff voice asked with a sharp edge to it. He managed to nod his head at the mystery cat. "Good." The voice replied and the eyes` owner began to take shape.

He was a large red tom with a face badly scared. A jagged lightning scar went down his eye and went to his nose and spiraled up to both his ears. The left ear was split into four and he had no right ear at all, his tail was cropped short and his back paw was twisted horribly to the side. A long and deep scar was across his neck and weaved through his back fur. It was hard to believe it but Bristlepaw was sure that this cat was Falconblood, only injured and tortured.

"You know me." He meowed deeply, showing sharpened teeth and places where teeth use to be. "But you don`t know me." He sighed, looking deeply in Bristlepaw. "You`re shorter than I expected." He added. Bristlepaw hissed, "But you show sign of progress." Falconblood meowed.

Falconblood looked up to the forever black sky. "Sit down Bristlepaw, sit and listen." Falconblood ordered, Bristlepaw obeyed.

"I was brother to your leader, Swiftrain; he never told you he had a brother did he? Well that`s because he was jealous, you see, I was our parents favorite because I was the best fighter and hunter and eventually, I won`t go into the finer details, he murdered Chickenclaw and Dustpelt, our parents, in his blind rage. I tried to tell our leader, who was Branchrain at the time, but he believed that it was an attack from Nightclan who had killed the two, and then Swiftleap mated with Icefrost and had kits. I, on the other paw, mated with a cat outside the clans named Siege, Siege had some recent problems with the clans but love can make you do crazy things. I tried to talk to Branchrain again because I wanted Swiftleap, who was now deputy, to be given the punishment he deserved, but he was going insane in his old age and violently attacked me, in self-defense I fought back and accidently killed him, I assure to you that it was all in accident. But Swiftleap, I mean Swiftrain, didn`t listen to me, instead he blamed and banished me from the clans, instantly I went to Siege and she took me in. I vowed that Siege and I would get revenge on the clans for the indignity they put us through and Siege and I plotted with her nephew, Red and a few other rouges/loners, and eventually we had our own sort of empire. Right before our plan of regaining order to the clans Siege gave birth to my kits, Bird, Eagle, and Hawk; Siege stayed and looked over them as I fought. But my small group greatly underestimated the power of the clans and was beaten badly, but Red and I managed to escape from the death field. Siege and I did the only thing we could and gave our three kits up, as soon as we had dropped them off we were captured by Swiftrain, where I was badly tortured and Siege killed without a trial." Falconblood told, trailing his tail with glazed eyes over his old wounds.

Bristlepaw looked at him gapping mouthed, trying to take in everything that he had just said. "Bristlepaw, Hawk and Bird did not live but Eagle did, Bristlepaw, you are Eagle." Falconblood then stated.

Bristlepaw backed up, shaking his head desperately, "No, no you`re not my father, you… you lie! I saw what really happened in the Room-if-Drawings, you`re a murderer!" He hissed, every fiber of his body hating what he knew was true. His paw caught on a brier bush and when he yanked it away pieces of his flesh pulled off with it.

Falconblood moved closer to his son, "You cannot run from the truth son, I will always be there, when your asleep and when you are awake, I will teach you how to be a real ruler!" He growled lowly. Bristlepaw closed his eyes and flattened his ears.

When he finally opened his eyes Spottedpaw was standing over him, "Wake up sleepy head!" She laughed, flicking him over the ear with her tail. Despite the horror he was in Bristlepaw managed a weak smile. "What happened to your paw?" She asked suddenly concerned. He looked down and saw that his paw was speckled with blood.

He remembered the brambles and felt the terror slipping back into him, "I don`t know he lied." He stood up suddenly and fought back the pain in his foot. Spottedpaw eyed him curiously but followed him out of the apprentice's room. Bristlepaw was almost certain that he could feel amber eyes staring into his pelt, Falconblood was watching him, waiting for him to be alone…


	14. Chapter 14

**Elemental: OK this is going to be another music chapter on Stockyclan.  
Helper: The song is 'Headstrong' by Trapt.  
Elemental: But you don`t have to look this one up, we`ll take care of that for you.  
Helper: We`re good.  
Elemental: Almost too good.  
Helper: Yep… OK, back to the story!**

Heatherpaw walked behind her mentor Jadeflower silently, after the lost Stockyclan suffered from Wildclan Nightrain was more determined than ever to win this fight. Heatherpaw wasn`t sure if she wanted to fight, she was still slightly wounded from falling in the gorge and was sure that Skypaw felt the same. But Nightrain promised that if they won this battle they wouldn`t go in the battlefield for a long time.

The large war-patrol paused at the divide between Stockyclan and Wildclan; the markers were fresh, showing that a border-patrol had just come by. Thornfang opened his mouth and let the scents roll over his scent glands. Nightrain had to stay at camp because of an infected mosquito bite. After what seemed like hours he flicked his tail and the cats advanced.

Stockyclan`s form of attack was different than their normal forms of attack, this time they were heading straight to the camp for a full scale raid. The plan was to create as much chaos as possible and eventually Wildclan would give up. What happened next was classified to Heatherpaw.

Heatherpaw had never been in this part of Wildclan and she doubted that many of the warriors had how Thornfang knew where the camp was she had no clue.

The birds that had been chirping in the canopy were now hushed as the group passed under them; their beady eyes staring at them coldly, as if they knew what was about to happen between the two clans. She shuddered when she saw the turkey buzzard`s circling above, their red heads took into their black chest as they flew looking down upon them.

Thornfang stopped the group and flicked his ears to a shadowy tree hollow. He dropped down on his stomach and began to crawl forward, the ginger she cat called Flamecloud paused and shook her head. She was reluctant to go into another clan's camp; she had brought this up when Nightrain first told of his plan, saying that there were kits and elders that could get harmed. She was Nightrain`s daughter and her thoughts doubts of her father disturbed the whole clan, but Nightrain assured her that no kits would be hurt.

Thornfang eyed her warningly and Flamecloud stalked forward too. Heatherpaw could feel her heart begin to race, as the crept forward to the tree-camp. There were two cats guarding the camp, Speedfoot and Lilystream took care of them without making a noise.

As Thornfang crawling sneaked into the camp it seemed like there were no cats, but then he realized that they denned in the trees. There was an ear splitting scream and he looked up with wide eyes. Cats were hidden in the branches, but were climbing down the tree in grace to the Stockyclan warriors, flying with bounding leaps.

_Circling your, circling your, circling your head  
Contemplating everything you ever said  
Now I see the truth I got a doubt  
A different motive in your eyes  
And now I'm out, see you later _

"Wildclan attack!" Lakerain screeched at the same time Thornfang yowled for Stockyclan to fight.

Heatherpaw bounded out to meet the line of defensive Wildclan cats, she meet a smoky black tom named Ripplepaw in a frenzy of teeth and claws. He was much larger than her and easily knocked her over, but she clawed at his underbelly with unsheathed claws. He let out a yowl of pain and fell down. Heatherpaw knocked him out of the way and ran forward into the growing mess of cats.

She saw Applepaw being attacked by a large brown tabby tom and ran to her friend's aid. Together they were able to fend off Bladeclaw, "This is insane!" Applepaw cried before being engulfed in the battle of claws.

_I see your fantasy  
you want to make it a reality paved in gold,  
see inside, inside of your head yeah  
well now that`s over._

A Wildclan she cat called Leopardring was trying to climb up a tree for safety, but with a swift leap that normally only Barnclan cats could do, Thornfang leapt up and grabbed the warrior by the tail, pulling her down onto the ground. A dappled grey queen was being chased by a Stockyclan warrior, in her jaws was a small wailing kit. The queen tripped and Darkscar descended down on her.

Flamecloud had to come and pull him off of the queen, telling him that she was carrying a kit and couldn`t harm her. Darkscar looked at the queen with blazing eyes and she scrambled back up, Darkscar tensed but instead ran in the other direction.

_I see your motives inside  
decisions to hide._

There was a commotion from the one rock den, Speedfoot and Silverdrizzle darted out, followed by a hissing Silverstream and smaller Frozenpaw, the medicine cat and her apprentice. Out of nowhere Lakerain appeared from behind Silverstream and Frozenpaw, he let out an actual roar and leapt after the two cats that had just came from inside.

He jumped onto Silverdrizzle and bit down as hard as she could on her neck. She let out an outcry and fell over, Lakerain slashed at her side in a mad frenzy. Speedfoot whipped around turning his back on the battle. Waterspirit ran him over and he let out a cry of agony as his claw snagged onto Waterspirit`s fur, he was dragged for a while until the claw snapped off.

_Back off, I`ll take you on  
headstrong to take on anyone  
I know that you are wrong  
headstrong we`re headstrong._

Lakerain finally let go of Silverdrizzle… but she didn`t get up.

Suddenly Lostheart was in front of her, her teeth showed and claws were unsheathed, Heatherpaw shook her head and swiped her claws. She managed to slice Lostheart`s face with a well aimed blow, making Lostheart fall back in pain, Heatherpaw smiled and continued her raid. With a burning fury that you could only get from a fight.

_Conclusions manifest, your first impression`s  
got to be your very best  
I see your full of and that`s all right  
that`s how you play, I guess you get through  
every night, well, now that`s over._

Another queen dragging along three kits scrambled by her paw in a desperate attempt to keep her kits safe, Heatherpaw felt her fur rise and she snipped at the queen. But she was trying more to get her away from the fight than hurt her.

But suddenly there was a call from Flamecloud, who was standing over the still unmoving Silverdrizzle, "Retreat Stockyclan, retreat!" She was shouting. The Stockyclan cats hesitated but eventually ran out of the camp, the last cats to come out were Speedfoot, who was limping and Silverdrizzle, being dragged by Flamecloud and Blacktail.

They didn`t talk until they were out of Stockyclan territory into their own.

_Back off I`ll take you on  
headstrong to take on anyone  
I know that you were wrong  
headstrong we`re headstrong._

"Why`d you order for us to retreat?" Thornfang hissed to Flamecloud, "Do you think that because you`re Nightrain`s daughter you can order us away?" He hissed angrily.

Flamecloud looked him in the eye, "I did it because Silverdrizzle is dead."


	15. Chapter 15

Bristlepaw looked over his back nervously, to his greatest terror Spottedpaw had gone off with her brother on a hunting patrol, leaving Bristlepaw virtually alone in the old barn. When he peered over his shoulder he was terrified to see a bulky red figure pacing slowly behind him. Bristlepaw quickly looked away; but he could still hear Falconblood`s paws padding along the dirty hallway.

Taking a sheer turn at the next three-way, he broke into a desperate run, but he could still hear the clicking claws of his father. With wide eyes he slid into the medicine cat den. Dovepaw looked up from where she was combining herbs together, "Bristlepaw, what`s wrong?" Dovepaw asked, her face showing how startled she was.

Bristlepaw stood there breathing heavily, he couldn`t sense Falconblood anymore, maybe because he was with his sister. Wait, was Dovepaw really his sister, Falconblood had said that only he had survived, but Falconblood had said a lot of things… "Bristlepaw are you OK?" She asked again.

He shook himself out of his daze, "I…I don`t know…" He muttered.

"Brightcloud is out collecting herbs but if you tell me what`s wrong maybe I can help." Dovepaw meowed, placing her tail down on Bristlepaw`s shoulder reassuringly.

Bristlepaw shook his head and Dovepaw looked even more confused, she opened her mouth to say something but Swiftrain shouted out for the clan`s attention. "I`ll talk to you later!" Dovepaw shouted, running out of the medicine den. Bristlepaw followed closely behind her, amber eyes peered out from a corner.

As the finally reached where the clan was meeting Swiftrain was already on top of leader`s-fence and waiting for silence in the clan. When he saw that Dovepaw and Bristlepaw were there Swiftrain continued with what he was saying.

"Cats of Barnclan, I have gathered everyone today because Tawnypaw has proven himself to be an apprentice of great value, and is now ready to receive his warrior name, Tawnypaw please step forward." The ginger tom stepped in front of the clan, his pelt shivering in excitement. "Stardapple has told me that you can hunt as well as a senior warrior and in battle you fight like a beaver." Swiftrain meowed, jumping down from his perch to stand in front of the tom.

"Are you ready to take on the role of a warrior, to uphold the Warrior`s-honor with your soul and follow the law of Ancientclan?" Swiftrain asked, Tawnypaw gave an enthusiastic nod. "Then from this day on your name shall be Tawnyfox." He finished, leaning down to snip a bit out of his ear.

"Tawnykit, Tawnypaw, Tawnyfox, Tawnykit, Tawnypaw, Tawnyfox!" The clan shouted. Tawnypaw, now Tawnyfox, swelled his chest out with pride and a sparkling glint hung in his amberish-brown eyes.

Swiftrain put his tail out in silence and looked down at the new warrior, "As a new warrior you must work with Brightcloud and Dovepaw in the medicine cat den for a day so that you may learn the skills of medicine." He meowed. All new warriors had to work with the medicine cats so that if in a battle they are injured they may be able to take care of themselves, or others.

"I better go back to the medicine den to great Tawnyfox." Dovepaw whispered in Bristlepaw`s ear. Bristlepaw nodded but even within the crowd of cats he still felt sure that Falconblood was watching him.

The thought of being alone with the power hungry tom scared Bristlepaw immensely, "But… but can`t Brightcloud take care of him?" Bristlepaw meowed desperately.

"I told you, Brightcloud is out right now!" Dovepaw answered with a shake of her head. Bristlepaw watched with wide eyes as his sister left, and as the crowd slowly dispersed from congratulating Tawnyfox.

His heart bet faster, he could feel a dark presence begin to shroud around him, just then Snowstep bounded up from him and the feeling left with a hiss. "Hey Bristlepaw! Swiftrain, Redheart, Silverfire, Leopardpaw and I are going hunting, Swiftrain wants me to ask you if you want to go to." The white she cat with ginger spots said cheerfully.

Bristlepaw nodded quickly and went over to the group of cats, who greeted him with dips of their head, did they know his secret? Did the whole clan know who his father was? He thought, suddenly very suspicious.

**(Hunting time)**

Bristlepaw watched as Dike, Redheart`s falcon, dived down onto the unexpecting rabbit, pulling it into the air with a mighty flap of its` wings. It circled around in the sky for a few minutes before descending gracefully before Redheart, who allowed Dike to take a small chunk of meat as a reward.

Bristlepaw looked back at Gypsy, who was pecking around on his back, his tiny claws hooking onto Bristlepaw`s bristly fur. Gypsy would never be a hunter like Samson or Dike, the only thing the little bird was probably good for was being a companion. "Good catch!" Snowstep meowed to the falcon, jolting Bristlepaw out of his thoughts.

"Yes, but enough with catching prey with our birds, now we will hunt ourselves." Swiftrain decided. The hunting patrol nodded and began to split up.

"Hey Leopardpaw, can I hunt with you?" Bristlepaw asked the older apprentice, who nodded.

Bristlepaw nodded and ran up to where golden and black she cat was pacing off to, "It`s not fair! I`ve been an apprentice for as long as Snowstep and Tawnyfox, but I`m not a warrior yet!" She meowed angrily. Bristlepaw nodded, Leopardpaw had been an apprentice for a long time, and she should be a warrior by now.

"Oh well, come on Bristlepaw, I know where there is a huge rabbit den!" She shouted bounding ahead. Bristlepaw looked over his back nervously, there were the eyes again, "What`s wrong Bristlepaw?" She asked when she saw Bristlepaw looking behind him.

"Um… nothing, just thought… never mind, let`s go to that rabbit hole!" He stuttered back before racing ahead.

**(In the apprentice den)**

Bristlepaw lay beside Honeypaw, still afraid that Falconblood would visit him, but he couldn`t fight sleep forever…

"Hello son." Falconblood sneered, Bristlepaw whorled around to face his father in horror. "You ran out so early last night that I was unable to finish what I was saying." He smiled kindly, but Bristlepaw didn`t fall for the nice act.

"What is it?" He spat to the tom.

Falconblood gave a slight laugh, "Your confused Eagle, you think that I am bad don`t you." He sighed, Bristlepaw nodded. "Listen, you want to be leader of Barnclan don`t you, leader of the quarry perhaps…" He trailed off. This caught Bristlepaw`s attention, the thought of being a ruler did sound nice… "I can give you that; you just have to do what I say." Falconblood smiled. Bristlepaw raised an eyebrow and paid closer attention to what Falconblood was saying.

**Elemental: And… cliffhanger!  
Helper: I hate suspense…  
Elemental: You hate everything besides Edgar Allen Poe.  
Helper: True, so true.  
Elemental: With that said… this part of the story was based on Linkin Park`s Paper cut.  
Helper: Good song, good song.**


	16. Chapter 16

"I cannot believe that Stockyclan would ever do such a thing!" Lostheart shouted from the gathering group of cats, pure anger burning in her dark blue eyes.

"They attacked Springkit and I when we were trying to get to safety, they do nothing but harm and attack kits!" Dapplefur cried out, wrapping her tail protectively around her little tortishell kit. There were yowls of agreement but Lakerain held up his tail for silence, and his clan calmed, though their eyes were glazed with anger.

Lakerain cleared his throat before continuing, "We all know what Stockyclan did was wrong, I agree to that with all my heart…but I am proud for my clan for fighting so valiantly, and Nightrain will not try to attack our clan in our territory again." He meowed. There were meows of approval, but an uneasy tension still hung over the camp.

"But we have to do something!" Pebblestorm cried out from the crowd, "Stockyclan has to be punished!" This statement received a more enthusiastic cheer. Soulwind curled her soft tail around her two kits, Heartkit and Blackkit, protectively; she looked up with desperate amber eyes. She didn`t want fighting with Stockyclan, and as he looked at the other queens, they all had the same looks on their face.

He gave a slight sigh and went through a moment battle with himself. "We will not fight them today, but we`ll send out a patrol to make sure that they have left our territory." He decided. There was a chorus of protest, but the queens seemed to relax at his words. "The patrol will be Lostheart, Waterspirit, Violetfire, Pebblestorm, Hailstorm, and Ripplepaw." He said above the angry mewls.

(0000000)

Bladeclaw plopped down next to Swiftbreeze with an agitated hiss, Swiftbreeze cracked her eye open in response, "What`s wrong Bladeclaw?" She yawned. "Are you angry about how Lakerain`s handling this?" She asked with soft concern.

He shook his head, "I don`t like how Shadowfur is looking at you." He whispered to her. Swiftbreeze looked over and saw her, once friend`s yellow eyes.

"It`s alright Bladeclaw, he knows that I`m your mate, and that I am only yours, my sister likes him not me." She sighed, she paused before continuing, "Besides why would he like me when I`m carrying your kits?" She then asked. Bladeclaw continued to grumble until the last part of the sentence sunk in.

"You…you`re…I`m going to be a father?" He squeaked in surprise. Swiftbreeze nodded and Bladeclaw fell down in shock, "Oh great Starclan, I have to be the best father in the world, oh great Starclan, I`ll make sure that you`ll have the best prey and most water in the whole clan, I`ll…I`ll…"

He stopped as Swiftbreeze put her tail over his mouth, "You`re going to be great." She meowed with a laugh. Bladeclaw smiled through her tail and out of the corner of his eye he saw Shadowfur looking on disdainfully, but he didn`t care, he was going to be a father!

(000000000)

Icepaw walked with a large quail in her mouth, she was bored, and why did Ripplepaw get to go on a border patrol and she couldn`t? Her sister, Frozenpaw, was a the medicine cat apprentice and had to take care of Blizzardclaw, who had smashed ribs, broken legs, and practically everything in between. Leaving her the only apprentice in the camp (right now that was).

With a sigh she took the quail over to the nursery, the prey was running more than well this summer, and the fresh-kill pile was overflowing with the food. So much that Lakerain was allowing apprentices and warriors eat the food as soon as they caught it (as long as they had more food to take back to camp). It hadn`t rained for weeks, but despite that the river was still flowing fresh and clear, full of fish and crawdads.

As soon as she walked into the cool bramble she was pounced on by Lightkit, Shimmerkit, and Shinekit, Wavekit, Lotuskit, and Splashkit wasn`t far behind them. The quail flew out of Icepaw`s mouth and squashed an unexpecting Springkit, who gave a loud squeak of surprise. Blackkit and Heartkit pounced on the piece of prey and Springkit meowed from under them to knock it off.

Icepaw sat up, shaking off the six smaller kits quickly and lifted the meat off of Springkit, who looked up with grateful eyes. "Thank-you Icepaw." She meowed.

"That was fun!" The small little grey-blue kit, Wavekit smiled, hopping down on his grey paws.

His sister, Lotuskit, nodded her head enthusiastically along with the smoky grey tom, Splashkit, before going off to bat at Shinekit`s ears. Lightkit and Shimmerkit began to roll around on the floor, caught up in a mock fight and Blackkit bounced around them, looking for an opening in the fight. Springkit was talking to Heartkit intently, her tail flicking as she spoke.

"It`s way too crowded in here!" Icepaw meowed, picking the quail up again.

"Tell us about it!" Lilypetal meowed, emerged from the back shade of the den. Going up to Lightkit and Shimmerkit and breaking up the fight, the two meowed in protest and she stepped back, accidentally stepping on Lotuskit`s tail, making her emit a large yowl. "I`m sorry Lotuskit." She apologized.

"Will you stop hurting my kits." Raindapple joked, wrapping her tail warmly around Lotuskit.

Lotuskit squirmed away from her, "It`s too hot!" She complained. "And I can hardly move in here without running into someone!" She added. Raindapple nodded her head sadly.

"If you want to run around so badly why don`t you go outside?" She meowed gently. Lotuskit, Wavekit, and Splashkit gave little cheers before darting out of the den, swatting sheathed claws at each other.

"Can we go out too?" Shimmerkit asked her mother, who nodded. Soon all the kits were outside of the nursery and playing in the shade of the great oak tree. (Which received its` name because of how it towered over every other tree in the camp, and was also where the warriors slept.)

"Thank you for the quail Icepaw." Dappleshine said. Dappleshine was very close to having her kits, and Icepaw suggested that she wasn`t very pleased by the crowded living conditions she was forced into. Barnclan had a bigger nursery than all of the clans, and Icepaw felt like Wildclan needed it more Barnclan.

"Do you think you could ask Lakerain if we could make the nursery bigger?" Dapplefur asked kindly, "The oldest kits are hardly 4 months old, and we could use the extra room." She explained. Icepaw nodded and stalked out of the den.

(00000000)

"You want to retire?" Lakerain meowed in surprise. Mistywillow nodded slowly and seemingly for the first time Lakerain recognized her age. "But with the battles and the expanding of the nursery…the clan trust you more than anyone!" He meowed, pacing up and down the tree branch in concern.

"Lakerain, I am older then the oldest warrior, I`ve served my time as a deputy, and now it is my time to go to the elders den." She meowed simply.

He sighed and looked down on the clan bellow, who would take Mistywillow`s place? He worried, the whole clan honored her…but then he saw the perfect replacement.

(00000000)

**Helper: Sorry we haven`t updated so long.  
Elemental: We were working on it but at 7:57 p.m. 4****th**** of July, our two baby brothers were born 8D  
Helper: Their names are Jacob and Angus!  
Elemental: Wow, I now have seven siblings, counting you Helper.  
Helper: I know, huge family, then there`s mom** **of course.  
Elemental: Oh yeah, enormous family…  
Helper: Oh yeah, and check out the new poll on my profile!**


	17. Chapter 17

He had sold his soul, why had he? Was it because he was confused, frightened, or maybe it was something more, the thirst for power that only Falconblood could give him. The last answer was more likely to him, ever since the meeting last night a dark passion had grown in his soul; he liked feeling that way too.

Stalking his prey quietly he remembered his father's words, _"souls are odd things, they can be divided into two…but also can have minds of their own when there is two. If you don`t divide your soul with me, then it might as well be wasted…if you do, you can become lord of all clans, even AncientClan." _At the time Bristlepaw had not understood it, it seemed to wise for him, but now, he began to understand.

He was sharing his body, and soul, with Falconblood, while he had control over himself right now, what was to stop Falconblood from taking control? But the thought of supreme power had been too great to pass up, and now he was like two. Now, that the moment of pure happiness was over, fear was replacing the pleasure. He had no clue just how powerful his father really was, maybe if he had known; he would have escaped from Falconblood, maybe he would have run away and be done with it. But he hadn`t, and now he was to pay the price.

"Hey Bristlepaw!" Spottedpaw, no it was Spottedfeather now, she and Greypaw (Greyleaf) had become warriors that morning. Leopardpaw, who had been an apprentice longer than the two was still an apprentice, she was currently walking around camp claiming how she was cheated from her warrior name. Bristlepaw watched his prey scramble away, why did Spottedpaw always scare away his prey? An unnatural anger came over him.

"Look at that mouse-brain! You scared away my prey!" He hissed. Spottedfeather blinked in surprise and took a step back. _'I didn`t mean to say that…'_ He thought. "Before you shout for me, look and see if I`m hunting!" He snarled. _'No stop!'_ A voice, his voice, shouted to himself.

Spottedfeather looked at him sadly, and the anger fled from him as he regained control again, "Well I`m sorry if you`re too slow to catch anything!" She meowed before running off, obviously hurt.

"Spottedfeather, wait!" Bristlepaw called, but she was already gone. "Good riddance." The dark voice said, and Bristlepaw shook his head, what was going on?

Just then a pain erupted from his chest and a bright red light flowed from his mouth like fog when he opened his mouth to cry out. From the red mist a figure formed, a badly scarred red tom appeared, Falconblood, and he didn`t seem very happy, "what was that about, _son_?" He asked, spitting out son like it was a curse.

"What was that about? Why were you so evil to Spottedfeather?" He asked angrily.

Falconblood shrugged like it was the simplest thing in the world, "Don`t you realize that you like her, not in a friend way, and we can`t have that can we?" He asked.

"Why not?" Bristlepaw asked, blushing under his yellow tabby fur.

"Because she`s not strong enough, if you are to have a mate it has to be someone strong and power hungry like you." He said with a role of his eyes, and Bristlepaw looked at him in horror. He was only an apprentice, why would he be looking for a mate now?

"I`m not power hungry…" He muttered.

Falconblood shook his head, "Yes you are, why else would you allow me to share your soul?" He asked, Bristlepaw made no reply and Falconblood smirked, "now pay attention to what I tell you from now on." He ordered. Bristlepaw bowed his head and Falconblood reentered him, and Bristlepaw could almost feel his soul dividing.

"Now come on." Bristlepaw said. It was Bristlepaw`s voice but it wasn't his mind saying it.

_**Line Line Line Line**_

"I don`t understand why I`m not a warrior yet!" Leopardpaw complained through the ball of soaking moss in her mouth. Bristlepaw rolled his eyes, Leopardpaw`s complaining only made the job of cleaning out the elders den feel worse than it was. "…and why do we have to clean the elders den? It`s bigger than the apprentices den and there's only one elder with bales of hay everywhere." She added.

Bristlepaw was about to nod in agreement before being stopped, "Maybe if you worked and didn`t complain we could get this done and you`d be a warrior." He muttered and Leopardpaw glared at him. "Sor…really, stop feeling sorry for yourself, get on with life!" Bristlepaw hissed, and the real Bristlepaw felt his heart stop for a few beats.

"Fine then!" Leopardpaw spat before running ahead.

Falconblood snorted, "She annoys me." He said, even though it seemed that Bristlepaw said it. Bristlepaw tried to argue, but he couldn`t regain control of himself. "Get out of me…" He finally spat after a lot of mental strain.

There was a cracking type of sound as two bodies had a fight inside one body, but in the end, Falconblood came out on top, and the small voice of the real Bristlepaw was smothered out. "Maybe later…" He yawned, and Bristlepaw struggled to keep control of himself, which he finally managed. He never agreed for this, "But you did, you allowed me…" Falconblood said. Reading Bristlepaw`s thoughts, no, Falconblood was his thoughts. He had no control…


	18. Chapter 18

Bristlepaw, who was now Bristleblood, was in pieces, his whole soul, his whole existence even, had caved in so suddenly. If he could he would have cried out, scream to the sky in august and anger, but he wasn't even allowed that, instead, he, the real him, was pushed back into a corner of his very own mind, in a dark and cold place where time swirled around him. While he was in here, this living Land Of Nothing, his father was using his body to create havoc. Worst of all, there was nothing he could do. He doubted even Ancientclan could help him now.

"You mouse-brain!" He heard Cherrytail meow in anger. Bristleblood closed his eyes; nearly everyone in Barnclan said that, even Spottedfeather. That had hurt more than anyone could know.

Yet with all the anger and rage his father was causing, Bristleblood smiled. Despite everything he was beginning to like the feeling of hate put on him. It was like he was becoming stronger, immune to all their bitter words that had once wounded him. Names like kit, mouse brain, and other insults did not even penetrate the skin. It was like he was becoming…becoming his father…ready to kill. He had never wanted it that way! Yet it was growing on him, growing while he was staying the same size. After a while he opened his eyes and found that he could see the outside again. He had control once more and the guilt and the need for freedom flooded back into him.

Looking down he saw the pond, where his reflection looked back at him with sad eyes, his eyes, not his fathers'…his. His fur that stuck up in every direction, the tooth that stuck out of his mouth…it was all there, and it was all him. He wanted it to stay that way, he wished…just then a torment came onto him, willing to tear him apart! It was so normal. The dividing of his soul…HIS soul, the soul he wish would stay in one piece, one simple piece; but instead. He was in pieces.

He lost the fight again and when he did regain control he was far out of Barnclan territory, he lost control quickly though and was forced to watch the scenario play through the eyes of himself. Not himself, Falconblood's self. There was Harley the black housecat with those yellow eyes. "Hello Bristlepaw." She said smoothly. How did she know him? Falconblood must have had seen her before while in his body, Bristleblood thought they were never suppose to keep secrets from each other.

"Hello Harley, it's Bristleblood by the way." Bristleblood replied. Yes, he replied, he had control…so why wasn't he running away from this rouge? Something was holding him back. "But don't worry you are soon to have a warrior name." He added, and Harley blinked in surprise, Bristleblood felt just as shocked.

"What do you mean?" She asked in confusion, but her yellow eyes still held that steady gaze.

Bristleblood thought before answering, "I'm offering you a chance to become part of Barnclan…sadly not right now but I am sure that in the near future we can arrange it." He said with a reassuring smiled. He was unsure why he was saying these things, but a plan was beginning to form in his mind. "Also, I can offer you power." This really caught her attention and she stood up.

"What's the catch?" She asked suspiciously, and Bristleblood gave a cocky smile and closed his eyes before slowly opening them.

Stretching he also stood, "Why must there be a catch? I offer you power and a place to live as a clan cat…if you want to you can, if you don't, you don't." He answered, and Harley smiled.

"I'll just have to hold you to that promise." Bristleblood wanted to say that he hadn't promised anything, but that would ruin the plan. Harley looked around before disappearing into the underbrush.

There was a crack and he turned around to see wide green eyes staring at him, hissing, Bristleblood jumped through the bush before the cat could run. "Bristle…" He began, but Bristleblood had already broken his neck. Looking down he saw it was Redheart he had killed, that was fine, he had lied to him and he would kill everyone who had lied to him. Everyone!

"Very good son…I must say you impressed me." Falconblood meowed. Bristleblood turned around to see his father standing right behind him, his emotionless eyes pleased. "Maybe I should…" He started, but Bristleblood gave him a crazed look of death before slicing his claws down Falconblood's throat. A odd sort of black blood flowed from the wound and his father collapsed, spasms wrecking his body and his eyes saying what his voice could not.

Bristleblood chuckled, "How? Easy. I found a room, a room that I thought was a look into the past, and it was, but it was a look further back than any cat could remember. Back to a time when there was a lion and eagle hybrid, called gryphon, watching them I learned…things…and I learned that soul slicing is able to be unable by killing the dead. How could I kill the dead? I thought, and then I had the answer. Hitting them where they were weakest." He smirked as Falconblood stopped his desperate attempt for life and slowly disintegrated into the air.

"Yes father…the time of blood has come." He said coldly, the compassion in his voice only moments before replaced by something dark. Something cold that grew like an ice block inside of him, something he couldn't name.


	19. Chapter 19

He had lied. Lied about everything; the death of Redheart, his meeting with Harley…how many times could he lie? He didn't know, but Bristleblood knew something, he was going to keep lying until he became leader, before he got what he wanted. He wanted everything. He kept his ambitiousness a secret, mourning with Dovepaw and Honeyfeather over Redheart's death, even though it was impossible to keep his hatred for his 'siblings' down. Even if they didn't know he wasn't their brother. He had been more than pleased when Goosekit became Goosepaw, his apprentice. Then surprised beyond the normal when he heard that Spottedfeather bared his kits, mainly because they had not talked in so long, but at least she was now showing some forgiveness to him.

Swiftrain had appointed Sunheart deputy, and the tortishell and white she cat had been more than happy to accept the position, much to Bristleblood's displeasure. He had also heard that Bladeclaw was now deputy of Wildclan since Mistywillow retired to the elders den. Snowstep was in the nursery now, expecting Minnowfall's kits, and now, with Fogkit, Maplekit, and Goosekit being apprentices, the clan needed the kits.

It was funny to Bristleblood, he was changing, like how the seasons were changing from fall to winter, and yet life stayed the same. He felt small bird feet on his back and turned his head to see Gypsy. Gypsy, always stayed by his side, Gypsy, the small little hummingbird, Gypsy, the old bird who was having problems flying now due to old age, Gypsy, his best friend.

"Well hello old friend." Bristleblood said with a smile. Gypsy returned it with a blink of his large black eyes.

Bristleblood thought back to the time when he had just became an apprentice, innocent and clean, and how he had hated the hummingbird because it was mockery to his size. It still was really, but now it was different. Swiftrain had offered different birds for him to have, but he would never betray Gypsy, and when Gypsy died, he would never take another bird. The time when he hated Gypsy seemed so long ago. How long had it been? Moons? Months? He shook his head, that was then this was now.

Now, he was a murderer, now, he was a liar of a sickness so strong, if killing was a sickness that was. Now, he was patrolling the border, Goosepaw was bouncing along behind him somewhere and he had to wait for the hyper brown and white tom to come. He heard him before he saw him bouncing up from the brambles.

"Bristleblood! Guess what! I caught a mouse!" He exclaimed. Bristleblood could now see he was dragging the mouse behind him. Goosepaw puffed his chest out in pride, "and I saw Fogpaw, Stoneslash, and Stardapple, they saw me catch it!" He said, hoping up and down in excitement.

Bristleblood stood up and he felt Gypsy dig onto his back, heard the old joints in the birds leg crack as he shifted his weight, "That's great, your first catch!" He said with pride. For once, he had taught someone something useful. It was then he heard the snap of a twig, it was then that Gypsy let out a chirp and flew away, then he smelled badger.

It was too late, he was just too late.

Before Bristleblood knew what was happening the huge black and white beast had picked Goosepaw up in its' massive jaws and was him around like a piece of prey. Goosepaw let out a shriek of agony and the badger threw him away, threw him with unnatural force onto a tree. Bristleblood snapped out his shock in time to see two more badgers, younger but still huge, amble out of the underbrush.

That was when Fogpaw, Stardapple, and Stoneslash came and leapt into battle, brought on by the cries that Goosepaw had feebly made. Bristleblood ran over to Goosepaw, praying to Ancientclan, praying to anyone, that he would be alright. Goosepaw was motionless and a horrible smell was coming from his body. Yet Goosepaw still opened a glossy eye.

Bristleblood but back a cry as the apprentice, his apprentice, coughed out a bit of blood, "…Bristleblood?" He whimpered. Bristleblood hung his head and didn't answer, "Bristleblood?" Goosepaw asked more franticly, blood flowing from his head and back, dripping into his eyes.

"I'm here." He said a little too gruffly, a little to horrified. "I'm here Goosepaw." He said again, looking at his paws, the one red one, and the blood tattoo glowed.

Goosepaw let out a gargled noise before coughing out even more blood, a steady stream flowing from his mouth, "I…I hope the elders…like my mouse…" He whispered, eyes blazing to stay awake. "I…hope that everyone looks at it and says…'Goosepaw, you are such a good hunter'" He said slowly in agonizing voices. Bristleblood closed his eyes, ignoring the battle going on behind him the best he could.

More blood, "Do you think…there will be hunting ground in…Ancientclan?" He asked. Bristleblood couldn't answer for fear that his voice would fail him; instead, he just nodded weakly. "I hope so…" Goosepaw said, answering himself.

Bristleblood wanted to kill himself, "Bristleblood…I'm afraid…" Goosepaw said, his voice raising to a wail, he was crying now, but it was blood, not water, that came out. "I don't want to die! I want to stay here with mamma and Fogkit and Maplekit…" He cried before being choked up by the blood in his throat and the strain he was putting on just to say the words.

"I want you to say too, but…in Ancientclan…everything's going to be better." He whispered, his voice coming in odd waves of sadness. "Now sleep little Goosepaw, when you wake up…you'll be in Ancientclan, and you'll be happy." Bristleblood said as best as he could, but it was hard, hard not to just give up and collapse.

Goosekit shook his head and an odd cracking came, more blood poured out of his head, "I…I'm afraid and what will I do…I want to be a warrior." He said, baring his head in one of his paws…Bristleblood noticed that the other paw had been torn off. Bristleblood turned his head at the sight.

He sighed and looked at his apprentice, "Listen, Goosepaw, I now you do…and in Ancientclan, you can become one." He said, Goosekit looked at him with eyes so glazed over and white Bristleblood wasn't sure if he could even see him. "and, while you're in Ancientclan, I want you to look over us, ok? I want you to become a warrior, I want you to go right up to Barn and say to her, 'Barn, my mentor said I could become a warrior.'" He said, "and that's a order." He added when Goosepaw lifted his head and looked at him again with greater determination.

"I will Bristleblood, and I will also say hello…to Redheart…good-bye Bristleblood, and…thank you." He stated, lowering his head and closing his eyes with a sigh, the last sigh he would ever give. Bristleblood flinched at the thought of Redheart but continued to go one talking.

"Yes, Goosepaw, you will become a warrior in Ancientclan, and you will hunt mice every day, and you will have so much fun with all the other apprentices, and you can watch over us…and, and…" He had so much more to say. But Goosepaw was already gone, into the paws of Ancientclan he went, so small, so young. He had just caught his first piece of fresh prey, he had…

Before he knew what he was doing, Bristleblood jumped on the badger, the biggest one and with a hideous scream he latched onto the badgers throat and with a anger that couldn't be matched, he tore out it's throat. With lightning like speed he did the same to the two smaller ones, claws in a frenzied fury and eyes blazing. The other three cats stared at the heaving figure, the three badger bodies laying beside him as he straightened up.

"He…he can't be normal!" Stardapple whispered to Stoneslash. Who nodded, Fogpaw was standing over her brother's corpse wailing, and the other two went over to help her. Meanwhile, Bristleblood stood alone, and inside of him, that coldness he had felt…was growing thicker and stronger, and his eyes, the already narrow pupil, became no more than a straight slit, a small curved black line in a eye of blue. He was ready. Ready to kill.


End file.
